


The Colour Of Trouble

by orphan_account



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Beronica rivalry, Bro Archie, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, HBIC Veronica, Love Triangles, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-07-18 08:15:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 38,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16114448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Veronica Lodge is the major NYC bitch with a big attitude, and one big hovering secret to keep. Archie Andrews is Riverdale’s small town football god, and he knows it. They think they’re dancing with the devil- until the love comes out.





	1. Prologue : Into Your Arms

**Author's Note:**

> H I G U Y S ! I’m back with new Varchie content (yes, I just can’t stay away from multi chapter fics, huh?) Seriously I thought I was gonna take a break after In The Name Of Love, but I couldn’t wait to start working on this. 
> 
> So here I present you- The Colour Of Trouble. 
> 
> This is definitely going outside of my comfort zone, 1) it has love triangles. More than a triangle. And I’m usually not a fan of those. 2) Betty and Veronica won’t be much of friends here, since they’ll be on opposite ends of everything with each other. And that’s sad because I adore this sweet friendship, but I decided it’s time to get out of my head canon of them and get to the reality of their friendship in the show. 3) This is going to be an ‘enemies to lovers’ trope, which I’ve never written before. But I’m really excited to venture out and hopefully you guys like it. 
> 
> Also, I know so many people read In The Name Of Love which was my first multi chapter ever, so I’m feeling really anxious about how you guys view this. I hope it doesn’t disappoint ! Then again this first chapter is just a prologue, the real fun will start next chapter... 
> 
> Ending this long note, enjoy :)

_**Prologue : Into Your Arms**_  

 

_x there was a new girl in town, she had it all figured out_

_well I’ll state something rash, she had the most amazing smile x_

  


 

 

  
She has gravity to thank for the ringing in her ears as the plane takes off, securing both arms tightly under her chin until they’re sailing smoothly in the sky. They’re flying in the glittery dark sky, which means she gets to watch the skyline of New York from the window. But she doesn’t want to, doesn’t want to see the rest of her beloved life as she flies away from it. _They_ , meaning the voices that can only be distantly heard from her little private bunker, a sound of champagne popping and cheery laughter.

  
Veronica pushes the fuzzy red blanket off her and sits up in one fast motion, giving up on trying to fall asleep with a huff. The sleeping mask once adorned to shield her pretty eyes from any disturbing light is discarded on the floor, she steps over it on the way to the back of the plane.

  
“Good evening Miss Lodge, is there any way we can be of your help?” The woman with bobbed cut hair asks, moving sideways with her tray of empty wine flutes and smiling pleasantly.

  
“Not now thank you” Veronica dismisses. She’s feeling a little wonky from trying to fall asleep at 9 pm, and somewhat succeeding, now her head hurts and the plane’s lights have just went down but she feels bright and awake.

  
At the back of the plane is Reggie’s private space. She opens the door without knocking, slightly confused to see him in the airline’s pyjamas, sprawled on the bed with fettuccini and some pre season football on the tv. She sighs and lets herself in, plopping on the edge of the bed until he moves his legs away to make room for her.

  
“Finally awake, V?” He asks, distracted by the television and his phone beeping away with notifications, the food in his bowl, the utmost place of comfort and pampering he seems to be in. Reggie doesn’t seem to mind one bit that they’re on this plane. In fact, he’s found the way to be fulfilled and relaxed while she’s still frustrated and throbbing with a headache. Why did Veronica know this was how it was going to be?

  
“It feels like someone’s trying to rip my brain out through my eye sockets” she rolls her eyes, climbing up the little bed next to him and laying down, she changes the channel to a top model show. “My gut wants to tell my father that this sabbatical is a disaster already but my fear of his outbursts is telling me to shut the hell up”

  
“Uh, I was watching that?” Reggie scoots around and fishes for his phone, which Veronica can see from her peripheral vision who he’s been texting.

  
Their parents probably _would_ freak out if they found her and Reggie laying on the same bed together, with the door closed; which is why they put her room at the front of the plane and his at the back. But Reggie is fearless and Veronica’s just hoping they’ve had their valium and won’t check up on their kids.

  
She tries to focus on the long legged girls in turmoils to win a contract and the loud, piercing critics that mentor them, but in the end all she’s remembering is her friends and their school, and just like that all she wants is to be back home, sleeping under her Egyptian quilt and the noise of traffic lulling her. This was never her choice, none of this. And if she had any say none of the clay art sculptures in her living room wouldn’t have been packed away- she remembers receiving the book list and her class schedule for the new school year in the mail, only to be reminded that she’s not going to Spence this year. But those papers are still tucked at the bottom of her suitcase.

  
She never wanted this. Any of this. And the emotion feels heavy on her tear ducts where, if she’s not careful they just might spill over and ruin everything.

  
“V! Are you here?”

  
She jumped slightly, startled and angry for getting caught up. She wiped away the one escaping tear off her cheekbone, praying Reggie hadn’t seen it. “Nothing- this fettuccini tastes like it came out of a box. They need better cooks in this dingy airline.” She muttered, despite it being luxurious first class. “Did you talk to Kylie?”

  
“Why would I do that?” He asked her in an obvious tone, still double checking for the weird and untimely emotional tendencies she seems to be having recently.

  
“Hello, because you’re dating her?”

  
Reggie put the bowl away and reached for the second blanket, throwing it over Veronica even though she didn’t ask. He’s always liked sleeping with the cold air but he knows what she’s like, how she wraps herself in blankets until it’s warm enough. The silence shared between them fills with the static drum of the loud air outside, and the show she chose on his television that he doesn’t really mind she’d switched to. Veronica moves her whole body an inch closer to his, only so as to not fall off the bed which, for all intends and purposes was created for only one person. Reggie has one arm around her shoulders, the other holding his cell phone above his head where Veronica can’t see, but she feels closer to home here laying next to him.

  
She sighed as their toes curled up and brushed against each other under the blankets, unfolding her arms and propping one underneath her chin. “Remind me again why our families chose to move here, Reggie?”

  
“Because Clifford Blossom had a deal our parents couldn’t pass up on” he takes his eyes off the screen and looks into hers, brown bare eyes that stare straight into her whole world.

  
_That’s not true_. She knows the real reason they’re moving away, and it makes her feel sick to her stomach that she pulls the blankets up tighter around her body and closer to his. Reggie knows too, she didn’t mean to tell him, but bourbon sours and a big fat secret isn’t the best combination on her tongue-

  
It doesn’t make any difference anyway. Reggie barely acknowledges what she told him, he still believes the business is why they’re moving, and Veronica just wants someone to stop pretending things don’t exist by not talking about them; she’s exhausted.

  
“Is this safe?” Reggie cuts out her train of thought unknowingly by turning the lights out and shuffling back to bed. “Not tryna kick you out V, but maybe you should go back to your room.. you know our parents would not shut up about it”

  
“Shush.. I’m too tired to go back”

  
Veronica can see his eyes even in the dark, they look sleepy and less wide with the eventful day having passed them by. Her own eyes start fluttering shut, only to be in peace away from the trifles of her own thoughts, when a noise goes off and Reggie’s phone comes alive again. “Gosh, who keeps texting you?”

  
“Emma” he shrugs, nonchalant as ever.

  
Veronica rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, hoping to wake up and maybe be back in her room at the Dakota. “Classy, Reggie.”

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

  
His sky is painted blue, little yellow and pink strikes like explosions against its blue canvas. He likes to think of this view as just his, just his from his bedroom window, and it only comes around as seldom as it is sweet in the last closing moments of summer. He doesn’t know it, but his eyes are the colour of champagne in the blood red sun and at the change of eighteen years, all he’s thinking about is the final high school year closing in.

  
Archie won’t admit he’s worried. He knows what the say, if you were popular in high school you end up wrecked afterwards, and if you were one of the awkward, dateless, goofs you’ll probably be alright. It’s not like he’s worried about any of that necessarily- just that come next year, football games in the fall and homecoming court won’t be his close associations anymore. There would be no more free Pop’s after a big win, spending all night with the Vixens and Bulldogs and the comfort cushion of being in his perfect world.

  
Archie won’t admit it, but high school is his life. A great life, which he doesn’t want to leave.

  
The furnace is making so much noise, his dad promised to look at it since Spring; he sees Betty’s name on his phone instead of hearing it. Her curtains are drawn which means she’s changing, Archie glances up momentarily.

  
**_ Meet me at Pop’s in 10? Let’s talk about tomorrow. _ **

  
Her little speech bubble pops up and disappears, she contemplates putting an emoji to showcase her excitement; or if it’s too enthusiastic. Archie looks around for his shirt when she texts again.

  
**_ Or we could walk together. _ **

 

  
It’s not that he’s against the idea by any means, Archie just finds it weird that one day before school went out Betty was blowing off class to stay home with Jughead, and now today she hasn’t uttered his name and is inviting Archie everywhere, all the time. One minute she’s sitting in Jughead’s lap with that moody scowl and the next thing she’s standing outside Archie’s door with a good girl smile.

 

They take the long route and head up to Picken’s Playground first, where kids don’t play and teenagers sneak to smoke weed. There’s tumble weeds and dandelions in the cracks of the ground, a squeaky old swing able to snap if Archie were to even attempt resting his muscular weight in it- he stands with both hands in the pockets of that red hoodie his mother bought. Betty sits on the swing.

  
“I love it here” she breathes blissfully. Her head is thrown back, face to the sky, eyes closed. Something about the way she’s swinging slowly and unorthodoxly makes Archie stare at her. “We should come here more, don’t you think?”

  
Her blonde hair is swishing in the wind, and Archie’s eyes follow the movement like a hypnotising spell until she stops swinging abruptly- green eyes popping open. When her hair makes that halo around her face, Archie swallows on his dry throat and turns to face away from her.

  
“It’s pretty murky actually Betty”

  
“Why didn’t you return my calls last night? I really had to talk to you”

  
His shoulders move on their own, a natural reflex of action around Betty, who usually ends up telling him his answer. Archie looks back at Betty, the length of her arms covered in Oxford blue sleeves, despite there being exactly seventeen days of the summer weather left. He just stays quiet. What he _really_ wants to do is pull her to him and pull her sleeves up, but Archie feels like just touching Betty with one finger could make her explode into a mess. Anything that fractures her glass walls, he’s seen her turn into someone who could shatter with one wrong word. And he doesn’t know why she became like this, for a minute all Archie wants to do is cry and ask her.

  
“Did you uh-“ he clears his clogged throat and Betty’s crystal eyes are on him “Did you change your hair back because Jughead left school?”

  
His question makes the calm guise on her face fade away. “Maybe” she whispers. “But I just wanted to try something fresh and new, you know for back to school”

Archie doesn’t buy it. As much as his own parents and their friends at school made comments about the black streaks in Betty’s bright blonde hair, he always liked it. He liked it because it was a part of her, and it’s not about the black streaks- it’s like any last piece of the girl he knew since freshman year has been washed away and bleached back into something unrecognisable and more importantly, unreadable.

  
“Betty, just because he switched schools doesn’t mean that you guys can’t be together. He said that, remember? You don’t-“ he isn’t sure how to put it that won’t make her upset “you don’t have to do this.”

  
“I don’t wanna talk about him right now, okay? Come on let’s go to Pop’s. I’m starved”

  
She stands up and swings back around just in time when Archie grabs her hand and turns her towards him, stopping when their breaths are mixed and cut short. He looks at her like he knows her better than herself. Archie isn’t even sure of how long the just stand there looking at each other because by the time he snaps out of it the sky is it’s darkest shade of blue, beginning to glitter with stars.

  
“We should go, Arch”

  
“Betty wait-“

  
“Come _on_ Archie. We have to be home by nine.”

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

There isn’t a crowd when they arrive in Riverdale. It’s so empty in fact, all Veronica hears is her parents conversation with The Mantles and how happy they are to see this fresh empty land and all the greenery, which as soon as she steps out of the cab she smells it. Something sweet, and cozy like her favourite lavender detergent. Unfortunately when she looks around her and sees the one lone tall building, their new home, this peppy town disgusts her all over again.

  
“Hiram, Richard, it’s good to see you!” A tall man with oddly perfect-looking red hair comes out of the glass doors, a blazer of blue and a turtleneck on that irks Reggie and Veronica. Their fathers shake hands with this man, who they know is Clifford Blossom. The supposed reason they’re standing here now.

  
Veronica knows Clifford and Penelope, they come to stay at the Hilton just opposite their condo in New York every year or so for some business events. She knows they have two kids; twins, who are seniors in high school just like her and Reggie.

  
“Hello Hermione, Melinda” Penelope Blossom says elegantly, pressing kisses to both cheeks by way of greeting. Penelope is small and bony, she smiles with sophistication and looks like a model from a catalog for pine and derby. “And these must be your children, Veronica.. and Reginald”

  
Veronica and Reggie stand back awkwardly, hands folded under their matching black cloaks and they glance at each other. Veronica is usually a talkative little soul, and Reggie is never rattled by anyone either. She clears her throat and walks the little distance to Penelope, who crushes her in a hug warping her senses with god awful perfume.

  
“Cheryl and Jason couldn’t make it tonight, they wish to be. They’re very excited to meet you two at school tomorrow” Clifford addresses the children.

  
If it could get any more awkward, Veronica just wants to fizzle up into a puddle and seep in the cracks on the pavement. These Blossoms are already weirding her out, they have such a strange and idiosyncratic ora about them. Luckily, Clifford asks the butler to gather their luggages and starts leading them for a tour of The Pembrooke.

  
The Pembrooke. It looks, for the most part- old. She’s entranced of the shimmery walls and antique furnishings and the intricate chandelier, which sends reflections of a million glass pieces all over the thick carpet. It looks nice. The Lodges and Mantles’ apartments are on the same floor, separated by this vast glass art piece, and their balconies over look each other. She can’t say she isn’t impressed, the timber and glass and the vintage decor, her mother always did say Blossoms have real money.

  
Reggie doesn’t hide his amazement of their new living quarters either, falling down a teal couch and sighing in bliss when it’s just soft and sturdy enough. He loves it already, she can tell by one look at his face. This is bad. Reggie can’t seriously be falling into this too.

  
The house tour gets boring when the adults start talking about prices and land open for business, and Hermione has the bright idea to send the kids off with Andre to explore around town. It feels like the only escape from this sufferable experience so she agrees, her and Reggie climb into the back of Andre’s latest model Mercedes and let time pass with dark green forestry and quirky little buildings.

  
“I hate this.” She breathes after a long time. “It feels like I’m in a Truman Capote novel and not the good kind”

  
“You hate everything” Reggie says reasonably, putting his hood back up and looking at Veronica who is staring out the window, not facing him. She can’t really deny that. “The weird thing is though..” he scoots until their shoulders are pressed to each other, black clothes folding together “the hair on that dude’s head stood about two inches off his head. It looks almost.. wiggish”

  
Veronica glares at him and shoves him away with her hand, hard. “Well there’s a reason his wig looks so ‘wiggish’ and thats because it’s not real freaking hair, dumbass!”

  
“Okay, okay! _Chill_ , V. Look I know this has all been hard but don’t you think you’re just overreacting a little?”

  
“Overreacting? Reggie, we’re going to a different school in a different state in our senior year of high school. This is supposed to be the time we cherish with our friends, enjoy the last moments with the people we know. But instead we’re the _new kids_ and it’s in a town where men wear wigs and I swear those were real feathers on her dress.”

  
“Veronica” Reggie tries to reason “we will know some people. We’ll know the Blossom twins, and they’ll help us remember?”

  
“What if they’re awful?” She protests “what if they’re horrible and we hate them? Or they’ll hate us”

  
“No one could hate _us_ ” Reggie sounds as sure of himself as he always is. He kinks one full eyebrow at her, wide eyes begging her to give in. So she does. Because she does trust him, and at the very least she can be thankful that her father pulled Richard Mantle into the deal too so Reggie could move with her. She’s become almost dependent on him- and she _hates_ it.

  
Andre, their designated driver with an unreadable expression and a man of very few words, stops outside a brightly lit diner which reads, in its’ exuberant shade of red _Pop’s Chock’ Lit Shoppe._

  
“Mr and Mrs Blossom have orders called for you to pick up, for your family’s dining tonight” Andre explains.

  
_What the hell is a Chock’ Lit Shoppe?_ She wants to ask, but Reggie is getting out of the car and she follows suit until they’re standing in front of this quirky little building. Her mother was right, the air is chilly even though it looks warm enough, and she’s glad to have worn the thick cloak falling around her shoulders right now. Reggie looks at her before opening the door drolly.

  
“Still know how to make an entrance, Lodge?”

  
“Please” Veronica scoffs “this town doesn’t even deserve my entrance”

  
It feels like any ordinary door to walk through, only a little part of her knows this feels different. Like maybe, walking into this room in the dark moonlight with her honey skin and the rest of the world on her back; it’s the beginning. The real beginning.

  
A bell rings on the door when they step in, and Veronica lets down the hood on her head slowly looking around. She looks around and the first thing that catches her eye amongst all the newness is this charming grin and fluorescent red hair. 

 

A boy. And he’s  _beautiful_.

  
There’s something behind his structured face she for some reason wants to keep staring at, it feels like someone’s punched her in the gut.

  
His eyes are stuck on her right away- and for a moment, Veronica smiles to herself. She loves the feeling of admiration strangers always give, and this boy with his dumbfounded face is no different. He _admires_ her already, but the scary thing is Veronica can’t remember the last time she’s looked at someone and felt this immediate, overwhelming attraction to them.

  
Her and Reggie walk at the same pace, slow confident strides, reaching the counter and stopping next to each other. “The Lodge and Mantle order, please?” He calls out, before turning toward her and whispering into her ear. “This doesn’t look too bad, does it V?”

  
His voice is soft and from how tall he is, his breath feels all ticklish and warm on her neck and it makes her smile sweetly for the first time all day. Veronica swears she can feel the eyes of that stranger are still on her.

 

 

 

 

 

“So what clubs are you thinking of joining this year, Betty?” Archie has his arms spread on the booth he’s sitting at, feeling relaxed and comfortable when he sees Betty calm and happy too, in comparison to how wounded up she looked before.

  
The shape of her nose and the curve of her jaw becomes accentuated when she takes a sip of her vanilla milkshake, tapping her chin in thought. “Well, the Blue&Gold feels kind of old now. I mean my mom still wants me to do it, but I just feel like reporting on school dances and who wore what dress, who made which sports team is starting to feel superficial and meaningless.”

  
“But you love to write” Archie argued reasonably

  
“Yes- but I _want_ to write things that.. I don’t know” her shoulders slump and she looks all discombobulated again “I want to write things that inspire people. That make them think and wonder”

  
“I get that.” Archie replies without giving it much thought. He’s looking over her head at something and Betty feels like it’s time.. to say what she’s been meaning to say.

  
Her fists curl into each other, stretching out, curling back in nervously. The fuzz on the collar of her shirt is starting to itch her neck, which doesn’t make sense for her to be nervous because she’s sure Archie won’t turn her down. Maybe it’s not about Archie turning her down. Maybe it’s her.

  
“Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t give you a ride home from Josie’s party the other day. I was with Evie and, you know”

  
“You were with Evelyn?” She wants to ask _who’s Evelyn to you?_ Because she swears to have only seen Archie talk to that wannabe Valley Girl with her fake attitude four times in four years.

  
“Yeah” he shrugs, talking another bite of cheese burger and wiping his mouth off with a napkin “It was a party”

  
_Right_. Her back feels stiff as she gages Archie’s reaction. “So.. I was thinking Arch. About us. And our friendship, and I realised that a part of me always thought we were kind of meant.. to be together. And I feel it, Arch. I was wondering if you’ve felt the same way too.”

 

She doesn’t realise she’s been holding her breath until she notices Archie’s wide eyes stuck on something behind her, in confusion, she turns around and sees what it is he’s so distracted by.

 

 

 

 

  
“ _So.. I was thinking Arch. About us. And our friendship, and I realised that a part of me always thought.._ ” Archie is in slow process of listening to what his childhood best friend and middle school crush has to say, when the familiar ding of Pop’s doorbell sounds and everything else fades out while he’s transfixed because _oh hell, look at her._

 

There’s two figures walking into Pop’s that everyone looks up and stares at. A boy and a girl, clad in onyx coloured cloaks. Cloaks - because nobody wears those around here, and they look like creatures coming out from a benevolent, twisted fairytale book. The boy is tall and broad, and he’s smirking confidently at the people who gawk up at him. But Archie’s eyes are drawn to the petite woman next to him that seems to be bewitching everyone with her beauty.

 

And she is _beautiful_. More than beautiful. _Perfect_ , like an airbrushed picture with flawless skin and captivating, seducing eyes. He doesn’t even know her- but he swears he’s never seen such a girl outside of his greatest imagination. The girl is walking closer and closer to him every second, with black hair falling to the top of her shoulders and it’s already getting his heart racing.

  
He can’t see her body from what she’s wearing, but just the look on her angel face that skims over his for a second is enough to pull him into her web of mystery and enchantment. He keeps watching her, not realising while he is that he’s unabashedly staring at the back of her head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Veronica can still feel the stranger’s eyes on her when they’ve received both bags of delicious smelling fast food. The flattery only lasts so long before she feels annoyed again, annoyed by Riverdale and leaving behind the life and people she loves hits her with a biting reality.

  
“I’m sorry, did you want to take a picture to make it last longer too?” She whirls around and faces him. Sure enough, the puppy dog eyed ginger is practically leaning over his seat to where she’s standing.

  
Archie is startled by the girl’s sharpness, he takes another second to just look at her face stupidly. He composes himself and smiles warmly at both of them, the boy behind her looking puzzled and ready to leave. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to” _you’re just gorgeous_. “I’m Archie. Andrews.”

  
Archie holds his hand out, expecting the raven haired girl to melt in the face of his charming smile and twinkling eyes. He expects her to blush and bite her lip or muster up to the confidence to shake his hand and introduce herself. And for a moment, she almost does.

  
She’s almost dazed by him in the rays of bright neon lights, but it fades away. Veronica nods curtly and retracts. “That’s great. And I’m leaving. Come on Reggie, this place blows”

  
She turns around and walks away from him, the sound of her clicking heels loud in his ears. The door flies open and shut and the waft of her perfume still sticks to the air, and all Archie Andrews can do is sit back wondering who the hell she is. _Will I ever see you again?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _tbc_. 

 

 


	2. Chapter 1 : Power

**_Chapter 1 : Power_ **

_x baby, you’re the man but I got the power. you make rain but I’ll make it shower_

_you should know I’m the one who’s in control x_

 

 

 

 

  
It’s already seven forty five when they’re getting ready to leave home. School here starts a lot later than their private school in New York, Veronica figures it will also be amply more laid back in terms of their syllabus. She can’t imagine not being able to be caught up with lessons in a new school with all the other distractions, so luckily she doesn’t have that to worry about. After all, she was always a top five percent student in every past year of high school.

  
She’s brushing her hair in front of the full length mirror when she hears doors opening and shutting, a loud holler of good morning in Reggie’s booming voice and their parents’ softer reply. The walls in The Pembrooke are so freaking thin. She thinks about her own wing of the house back at the Dakota, and how having her own _huge_ private space for friends and boyfriends to come over was always available. She tries to squash that thought away by slamming her brush down and pinning on her signature pearls, a copious amount of Chanel No. 5 and she’s out the door.

 

“There you are, _mija_. I figured you’d be early with how late Riverdale High begins, finally” her father muses from the breakfast table where Reggie’s parents and her mom are sipping tea and enjoying the cut fruit and croissants.

  
“Good morning too daddy” she swings her head down and presses a kiss to his cheek, a habit of old loving Veronica still engrained in her. Sometimes she thinks doing little things like that will erase the huge mess up he caused between them, but she always ends up fooling herself. Now it becomes more of a disguise to her mother than anything.

  
“A girl needs her time to get pretty” Her mother says. She pushes her chair back and stops Veronica from moving, surveying the outfit she has on.

She can feel all other eyes of the table on her too, including Reggie’s appreciative ones; that widen in approval at her and it gives a blatant confirmation of how good she looks. It only takes one look from the leather heels on her feet to the top of her dark hair to know she looks absolutely stunning as always.

  
“You look nice, Veronica” Melinda Mantle smiles softly from the other side of the table, a calm ora in contrast to her hot headed husband “Don’t forget your breakfast”

  
“Thanks” she grabs her thermos from the counter and pours it full of freshly brewed black coffee, adding in two sugars and popping a grape in her mouth. She takes one of the fluffy croissants with her to satisfy them and heads out the door.

  
She’s looking for the schedule that’s supposed to be in the little home lockers in the foyer, when she overhears Reggie’s parents’ conversation about the subject she’s been tiring them over. “Did you get the car in, dear? For Reggie and Ronnie?”

“I’m still finalising things with our branch in New York” is Mr Mantle’s hasty answer. She’s been asking her parents for a new car, and Reggie teamed up with her naming it a warming gift for moving to Riverdale. At this point, getting the Aston Martin is the only thing that’s able of igniting any hope of a silver lining in her head.

  
Andre drives her and Reggie to school and there’s a heavy bundle of sadness in her throat she’s aware of. This isn’t how it’s supposed to be. She should be pulling into the parking lot of Spence with the loud roar of her Lexus, her best friends coming down to gush over her and compare their new accessories. She and Reggie should be walking up the steps to their school, breaking in the doorway like it’s theirs. All she’s capable of now is thinking bitterly about Katie, Emma and the others and hating them for being able to still live it. She hates this, and she hates her father for ever putting them through it.

  
Riverdale High is significantly smaller than her good old Spence School. There are no tall stone steps leading up to it and security guards around the perimeter here. As the heels of her Louboutins hit the gravelly ground and she takes the first glimpse of Riverdale High, it hits her that this is all real and there’s no going back.

  
Reggie pushes his door open before Andre can get there to open it for him, so rough and careless that he narrowly bangs the door into another vehicle parked next to theirs. The screeching sound of an expensive paint job going to waste sends chills up Veronica’s spine; she turns around and is shocked to be even more stunned by who’s standing there than the scratch on his car.

  
It’s that boy. The unmistakable, unforgettable red hair and the precise cut of his jaw. She realises that he’s much more muscular than she saw last night, standing there in his full height at almost six feet with more than 100 pounds of muscle compared to her little frame, Veronica’s breath is taken away. He looks even _better_ in the morning light. She can see every perfect part of his body and a little voice in the back of her head tells her that all the girls in Riverdale must be drooling over him. She rolls her eyes.

  
“Dude! Watch the paint job” Reggie says precisely, staring straight into the ginger’s unbelieving face.

  
“Uh, actually you were the one that-“

  
“Reggie, come on. Let’s go” Veronica calls to him. She doesn’t have time to hear the boy’s meaningless words. Reggie grins coolly at him, catching up to Veronica as quick as he can. As they walk into the main school building, Veronica is acutely aware of the dozens pairs of eyes that are watching them. The whispers become louder the further they walk, and Veronica just makes sure her mini skirt is all straight before she steps inside the school and stops.

  
It’s nothing at all like Spence. Nothing at all like the public school York that they visited once, it’s straight out of an 80s teen movie with the classic lockers and crusty uncleaned walls and chairs that look like they haven’t been changed since the school opened its’ doors. Decoration is sparse, and the students whom are filling the halls seem completely at ease in the place that’s perpetually stuck in 1984.

  
“Holy shit” she gasps to herself “Is it just me, or did we just walk into an alternate universe?”

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

Archie shrugs his varsity jacket on frustratedly on his way to coach’s office. Being captain of the Bulldogs means that he’ll have a big say in how today’s tryouts go.. it’s also his senior year and he wants to be on top of everything. Archie is making his way through the halls, pretending to be irritated by all the stops he gets- people saying hello and chatting him up about the summer, even though secretly he loves it. But the real reason Archie isn’t paying attention to the attention he’s getting is because of the encounter that just happened outside school.

  
It was her. It was the goddess in Pop’s last night, the one who blew him off and smelled like a sweet array of flowers standing two feet away from him. The one with the endless eyes. He’s still so stumped by seeing her in the parking lot-

  
He figured her to be a traveller stopping by on the road, someone from a glamorous life who would only grace his world with her heart stopping presence for a fleeting moment. But there she was, at the school parking lot in tall heels and a tight leather skirt, voluptuous curves accentuated with her tanned, toned legs. She looks even more perfect than she did last night, Archie can’t stop thinking about it.

  
He turns round the corner when Moose jumps out at him smiling widely. Moose is one of the Bulldogs, and Archie’s long time friend at that. “Dude!” He gushes “There’s a hot new brunette at school and she is smoking”

  
Archie blanches for a second. It’s obvious who the hot new girl is. “Really? What’s her name?” He wonders curiously as they start walking together.

  
“No idea. But she is _waaay_ out of our league- oh. There she is”

  
Archie’s mouth waters when he sees her standing at the doors of their school amongst all the other students. She stands out in the crowd, easily. Even if it weren’t for her distinct clothes Archie would be able to make out who she was from the moment she stepped in a room. She’s standing next to that douche who scratched his car though, which turns Archie off.

  
“You’re right. She’s.. but who is she? I wanna know her name”

  
“Why?” Moose adorned a knowing smirk on his face “You thinking of smashing?”

  
Archie just laughs it off. He would stand there and stare at the new girl until she passed him by and dismissed him again, but he does need to get to coach’s office to talk about the tryouts. He tears his eyes away unwillingly, and Moose keeps following for some reason.

  
“Well even if you’re not- Betty’s pretty hot too. And she seems pretty into you”

  
“Are you kidding?” Archie looks at Moose quizzically “We’re best friends. And I thought she was over me for good. This sudden ‘interest’ came out of nowhere”

  
Moose says something obscure in reply and wonders off, patting Archie on the back before he has to go into coach’s office. He’ll think about this later. About the raven haired new girl, about Betty and about his damaged car. For now what’s important is Coach’s word behind this door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veronica is still shaken by the ruckus when two figures she sees wrestling their way through the crowd quickly to get to her and Reggie at the entrance, appear before them with such wicked smiles they could mean something evil or not. She only takes it in that these two people almost reflect Reggie and herself; in terms of their height but the opposite pairing have matching amber hair. Their eyes are a noticeable light brown. Reggie and Veronica know who it is already, but she doesn’t know she’ll like these people until what the girl says next.

  
“Veronica Lodge and Reginald Mantle, there you are. This is Jason and _I’m_ Cheryl Blossom; aka Cheryl Bombshell. But the real bombshell is why a New York novelty is gracing our humble abode of Riverdale in the senior year. So, what gives?”

  
She likes how exaggerated and animated Cheryl is already. “Well I think you know why. Our parents are working together”

  
“Right” Cheryl’s eyes roll up all dramatically, her thin hips cocking to the side where her left hand is resting on. “That old lie. So come on, since we’re your designated peer mentors”

  
The four of them start walking down the busy hallway together and, as you might know it, the crowd parts almost hilariously when they do. Veronica is paying close attention to Jason, the quiet and handsome twin brother who’s walking next to Reggie. Cheryl has an energy about her that immediately screams _green light_ , whereas Jason is more reserved and closed off to her.

  
He’s taller and thinner than Reggie is, most of his frame is invisible under the blue and gold varsity football jacket. He has ears that stick out slightly and pink lips just like Cheryl, and Veronica hopes they’ll be cool people to hang with.

  
“You guys need to check in at Mrs Yardley’s front desk so they know you’re here” When Jason speaks it surprises them that he has such a soothing, soft voice. Then again it does kind of suit him.

  
“Trust me, they know I’m here” Veronica declares “So what’s the social scene like here? Any nightclubs?”

  
“We take the train upstate if we wanna party” Cheryl provides, her eyes scanning the awed reaction of students at them “There’s only one two bars in Riverdale, and one is sad while the other is on the bad side of town so I wouldn’t venture there.”

  
“Damn. The town’s so small I didn’t think there could be a bad or good side. Oh, and by the way it’s just Reggie”

  
“Okay Reggie” Cheryl cuts her brother off who is giving a solid explanation of the town’s ‘good and bad sides and he doesn’t seem fazed. “But Riverdale is actually cool once you get used to it. Everyone’s nice, too nice. The crime level is as low as it gets and we at least have good malls” she shrugs. “We spend Saturday nights at the Twilight Drive In if there’s good movies and a fair opens up by Sweetwater River every fall. So where are you guys’ lockers?”

  
“217 and 218” Reggie reads off the schedule he managed to find.

  
Jason taps the top of the metal door next to his head comically, smiling with sincerity at Reggie and Veronica. “Great! Right here”

  
The four of them stop, Cheryl leaning slyly against the locker next to hers with folded arms and a watching expression. Reggie and Jason are already talking about something football related, they did mean to look at the football and cheer teams’ record online but Riverdale High’s website hasn’t been updated since their batch graduated kindergarten. Veronica takes her time to roll the four digit pin in, but before she can open the locker a hand touches the fabric on her arm and a masculine voice says, “Are you new? Do you need any help getting around?”

  
Veronica turns around and for a moment her guard goes down. The boy is tall and has the build of a long time weightlifter and eyes that look too mischievous for his innocent face. He must wear the same cologne that some boys at Spence did, because she’s almost inhaling him with an eager familiarity. “Well aren’t you charming? So the boys in Riverdale have manners, that’s a good plus”

  
“I’m Chuck” he says. Veronica has spun around and has her back on the locker next to Cheryl who looks like she might revolt. “And your name?”

  
“Oh, exactly what this situation needs. _Chuck_ ” Cheryl rolls her eyes. She doesn’t know what it means because the next minute she seems to be totally comfortable with this Chuck person, so they must be friends.

  
Veronica flashes her playful eyes up at him and decides why not enjoy something. “By all means, walk me to my first class” she pulls Cheryl’s hand in hers so she knows she wants her to come too. “And keep me entertained”

  
Chuck starts leading off down the hall, and if they thought the crowds parted before, when all five of them make their way everybody steps aside in some sort of respect. Veronica is slightly amused at the way Chuck ignores Reggie, who just seems to be more interested in his conversation with Jason anyway. “You must be new in town.. since everyone here has been living here since we were babies. Where were you from before Riverdale?”

  
“Reggie and I lived in New York City” she says proudly “our parents have work with The Blossoms. So you guys are friends?”

  
“Oh sure... I’ve known this minx all my life” Chuck laughs “Jason is a Bulldog, and Cheryl is on the cheerleading squad. I wrestle” he says, with a kind of cheeky smile over his shoulder just specially at her that makes her know he wants to impress her. “Here’s our first class. Who else has Chem?”

  
“I do” Reggie declares loudly. He moves next to Veronica, a tad too close for her comfort. She thanks Chuck and the Blossom twins briefly before they have to leave.

  
“Anytime” Chuck says resting a hand on the door behind Veronica’s head “I’ll see you in class later? Or at lunch? I’m sure Cheryl will be more than welcoming to have you..”

  
“I’ll see what I’m doing” she says mindlessly, knowing that Chuck is reluctant to leave her side and it’ll stir him.

  
“Well we have practice after school, if you have nowhere else to be”

  
Veronica eyes him appreciatively but since he’s obviously not going to leave, she turns on her heels and give him one last smile before heading into the class with Reggie right behind her. She can feel Chuck’s fiery eyes following her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Can someone tell me how the new kids have been here for all of five minutes and the entire student body is already talking about them, _and_ they’re already hanging with Cheryl’s clique?” Betty is muttering under her breath. She’s taking things in and out of her locker that’s been there since before Summer, while Kevin; her most loyal and exciting best friend waits patiently on her.

 

“Because they’re hot and rich” Kevin replies smoothly. He’s looking at Veronica and Reggie who are standing in front of Mr Schumer’s classroom, absorbed and seeming to be joking with the Blossom twins and Chuck Clayton. “Apparently that’s all Cheryl Blossom cares about.”

  
Kevin is aware that he could be friends with some of them if he wanted to, but his friendship with Betty and Archie is more important than all of that; they were there for him during the hardest point of his life after all. Plus, his dad likes him to be friends with them.

  
Betty turns around and eyes them too. She recognises the girl especially from last night in Pop’s. Her appearance had rattled Betty so much that she ultimately dropped what she was telling Archie, even though it’s probably just another one of his ‘distractions’ and just like every other girl, soon he’ll get over her. If there is anything to get over. She glances back at Kevin questioningly after a moment.

  
“I’m sorry- I know she’s your cousin. But you know there’s some truth it in”

 

They link their arms together and make it to homeroom together, Betty can feel a headache coming on already. She hasn’t worn her hair this tight in ages and it feels terrible. “Whatever. Let’s hope Mrs Ross doesn’t pile us with homework on the first day.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Veronica has to stop by the principal’s office before lunch, and Reggie is supposed to meet her there too. But he must have got caught up with some boys or something, so she stands alone tapping her heels on the concrete floor; waiting impatiently for Principal Weatherbee to open his door. She keeps clicking the home button on her phone to make sure she’s not missing the entire lunch period.

 

What the hell is Principal W. Weatherbee doing in his goddamn office?

  
_9.45_ “Oh fuck!” Veronica curses into the empty hallway. She’s so riled up from practically running to her second period and still making it late, getting an embarrassing speech for not being punctual on the first day of school is borderline humiliating.

 

“Everything okay princess?” An amused voice says from behind her. Veronica whirls around and pretends to not be shocked that it’s him standing there, lips curled coyly on his stupidly handsome face.

  
“It would be if you left me alone” she snapped “you know what don’t bother. I’m leaving anyways”

  
She decides fuck it, if Principal Weatherbee wants to speak to her he’ll just have to get her another time. “Hey wait!” She stops in her tracks. _Why. Why me?!_ “What’s uh- what’s your name?”

 

“Veronica” she says, turning her body back halfway reluctantly. “Veronica Lodge.”

 

“I’m Archie Andrews” he smiles delightedly again. “Veronica, do you.. do you like football or.. watch football?”

  
She knows what he’s trying to do, he’s clearly a football player and if that’s supposed to impress her well she’s got a lot on her plate at the moment to be dazed by the simplicity of high school boys.. especially when it’s clear that she won’t have to work for any of their attention.

  
“Not if I can help it”

  
Archie starts saying something about music, but the dark oak door finally creaks open and Veronica crosses her arms while bounding in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veronica does end up having lunch with Chuck and the others. Cheryl waves her fingers at her from across the courtyard when she and Reggie make it there. Cheryl is seated next to another girl Veronica sat behind in math class, and beckons Veronica to the empty space next to her.

  
“Before you dive into your lunch” she nudges Veronica’s tray away slightly “Meet Josie McCoy. She’s my bestie, and the best” Cheryl leans on Josie’s shoulder endearingly.

  
Veronica finds out Josie is a senior too and she sings a lot, she wants to go to LA after graduation or sometime later. She likes to sing too, but just for fun. They talk about something that happened in math and Josie offers her mother’s home made cookies to them, which tastes much better than the cafeteria’s hot lunch. Reggie has made it back with two sodas and a bag of half eaten chips, sitting across from Cheryl with bright eyes.

  
“So how’s your first day been?” Cheryl asks both of them “Made lots of friends?”

  
“Something like that” Veronica answers, thinking about the boys who were always asking if she needed help getting somewhere or help carrying her books, and asking about her all the time. There weren’t nearly as many girls who talked to her, maybe because she was already bombarded. But when two brunette girls pass their table and start giggling as they see Reggie, she guesses they were busy meeting him instead. “But Principal Weatherbee said we should look into extra curriculars, and what I should join”

  
“Cheerleading!” Cheryl’s face lights up instantly “You must. Tryouts are after last period and you seem like a shoo in for our squad. And football tryouts are a little after. You guys will, won’t you?”

  
Veronica shares a soft smile with Reggie, nodding in agreement with each other. “I stood at the top of the pyramid in Spence, so I think definitely”

 

Chuck shows up to the table with a smile, dropping his bag down and leaning straight towards Veronica. “How’s your day going?” All I heard in gym was talk about the hot new girl” he smirks.

  
Veronica rolls her eyes and shrugs one shoulder. “Oh well, looks like I’m trending number one” she says, which makes everyone at the table laugh.

  
“I think what Chuck means is you could try any flavour of boy if you wanted” Cheryl giggles. When she does so, Veronica’s attention is drawn to the red head jogging up to his table, bottle of water and a brown bag in his hands. He’s sitting at with that blonde girl he seems to always be with, and someone else she can’t recall. She finally remembers his name from the hallway earlier, _Archie_. He’s taken his obnoxious varsity jacket off and is wearing a cotton white t shirt; the long sleeves stretching at his arms with the restraint of his muscles. He seems less annoying when he isn’t talking.

 

Cheryl follows her line of sight and becomes aware of why Veronica has been silent, grinning amusedly. “And that ginger stallion.. I’m surprised he hasn’t hit on you yet”

  
Veronica recalls the feeling of his eyes on her back last night, and the way he smiled at her with this weird juxtaposition of hot and cute at the same time, so unlike anything she’s ever seen. “Why do you say that?”

  
“Only because he goes through girls like I go through bread rolls” Josie says nonchalantly. It makes Reggie chuckle. “He’s been with like half the girls in school”

  
Veronica winks at them “The lesser half I’m sure”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Cheerleading tryouts end up being no big deal at all. Most of the girls from last year’s JV squad make it to Varsity, and there isn’t much surprises or any disaster of sorts. She uses last year’s tryout routine that Spence used, and it’s way beyond the standard that Cheryl had expected. The only semi big thing that happened was, as Veronica keeps hearing whispered from the other cheerleaders, “ _Betty Cooper is here?_ ”

  
She knows who Betty Cooper is when she does her tryout. It’s blatantly obvious, as the bleachers suddenly emit some awkward energy and Cheryl is watching very closely with her brows almost stitched together. Veronica doesn’t get what the hype is- she’s just a good looking blonde girl and her tryout is boring.

  
Coach lets them keep playing music when tryouts are done, and everyone is just chatting and lounging around. The sound of girlish voices are loud over the music. Veronica wishes she had somebody to turn to and whisper with; she can’t remember a time in her life when she wasn’t the centre of a close knit group of friends and now it hits her when all the other girls start retracting into their cliques. Well, she doesn’t want to be friends with these girls anyway.

 

“There you are Veronica” Cheryl comes stepping up the bleachers, looking spent and sweaty. She has a cold water bottle in one hand and the stray hairs from her pony are sticking to her neck. “Can you believe it? That was totally weird”

  
“What?” Veronica reminds her “I don’t even know any of these people”

  
She comes to sit down next to Veronica, overlooking the gym. Her eyes follow the tones of blonde hair that are fast to escape the doors like this was the last place she even wanted to be. “Who is Betty Cooper and why is she suddenly the hottest piece of gossip?”

  
“She’s just not somebody to be a cheerleader. Or do anything- sporty, for that matter. Her sister was. But anyway she and Jughead have been together since freshman year and they broke up right before summer, I think she’s spiralling or something”

  
“Sounds like she needs an intervention. Or a wakeup call” Veronica shrugs, searching around in her tote for some gum. “Why are you even friends with her, did you see her tryout she’s a zombie”

 

Cheryl goes quiet for a moment. Her expression doesn’t give away anything, but it’s obvious there’s meaning behind her silence. “She’s my cousin” she says.

  
Veronica is amused. Even in the short time of knowing Cheryl and Jason she can’t imagine anyone who isn’t red haired and possibly harbouring magical powers to be related to them. “Did the grinch switch babies during Christmas or something?”

  
“It’s a long story, but she is my cousin. We share some family. Whatever. Come on, Jason and Reggie are at the tryouts we’re going to see them.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheryl and Veronica aren’t the only two Vixens at the Bulldogs tryouts, but they are the last ones to appear from the dressing rooms. They can see the distinct colours of uniforms from where they’re walking on the tracks, wind blowing their hair. “So what was it like in New York? Is it as crazy as it sounds or worse? And I didn’t really want to ask but.. are you and Reggie.. together?”

  
“God no” Veronica laughs. “We’ve been friends forever. And to be safe, I’d say it was worse than crazy.”

  
“Next Friday, after homecoming we have a party. Wanna come?”

  
“You make it sound like it’s exclusive. What’s it gonna be like?” Veronica asks curiously. They’re right behind the bleachers and the Varsity Bulldogs are sitting there, watching over the field.

  
“Well it’s usually just the four of us” Cheryl admits with a little smile. When she does, it reaches her eyes; the most beautiful kind of smile. She’s already fond of Veronica’s snark and style and her status, and Veronica finds herself warming up- or rather thawing, to the head cheerleader. “But you and Reggie should come this time. I can’t promise it’ll be as fun as your NYC parties, but let’s just say our parents wouldn’t be proud.”

  
“Ooh, well in that case I’m in” Veronica nods as they stop under the bleachers and face each other. “After all, it’s the New York sophisticates that are supposed to corrupt the sweet small town kids”

  
Just at the moment she hears the beep of an incoming message, and both of them take their phones out to check. “It’s me” she tells Cheryl “Oh great! My mom says she’s picking my dog up from the airport today. I didn’t get him vaccinated in time so she couldn’t fly with us, but a family friend is flying in with her.”

  
“You have a dog? That’s cute, what’s her name?”

  
“ _His_ name is Fitz. My parents got him for my sixteenth birthday, but they seem to still think I’m not responsible enough for him” Cheryl doesn’t say that she agrees, considering Veronica didn’t even vaccinate her dog in time.

  
They stay there under the bleachers and Veronica shows Cheryl a picture of her little puppy, and they get distracted at things on each other’s phones until the sound of familiar voices float through the air.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archie is pissed. This entire day hasn’t gone the way he expected. It’s not completely ruined, but for starters, Betty and her weird nuances are confusing the hell out of him. Everyone seems to be distracted by the new kids, the picture of a big white scratch on his car door is still playing in the back of his mind, and now coach is telling him the position for captain may be open. “What do you mean Coach, I- I’ve earned this spot. It was practically mine last year and you gave me the jersey and everything”

  
“Yes Andrews, last year before you started slacking off and coming to practice late. Which isn’t _captain material_.” He can hardly believe it. It was three times, and those were all on additional practice days “After all I had no idea we’d be seeing such varies of skill on the field today. Man up Andrews. This spot could still be yours.”

  
He pokes him on the chest signalling for Archie to go away, while he focuses on the sophomores and their tryouts. Archie is practically fuming when he turns around and heads back up the bleachers. Jason is sitting on the fourth step, probably waiting on his sister to show up from her Vixens tryouts. Archie doesn’t necessarily _mind_ Cheryl, but he’s been teammates with Jason since freshman year; and they have a somewhat solid.. acquaintanceship.

  
The only person Jason really opens up with is his twin sister.

 

“Wha did coach say?” The older Blossom twin asks, tying up his laces.

  
Archie makes a face at him. “He says the spot is still open. That he’s having second thoughts because of all the ‘new skill’ today.. what he means is that Mantle boy that’s been here for all of two seconds and is already getting special treatment.”

  
“Relax, dude” Jason tries. “Coach knows you’re his best player. And he isn’t wrong after all, there _are_ a lot of talented players this year.”

 

“Mantle is the only good player” Archie mutters irritably. They walk across the bleachers to get to the rest of their teammates, passing some Vixens and hangers on along the way. They don’t realise the flash of raven and red hair beneath where they’re standing, ignorantly.

 

“Don’t worry about it. After all Reggie’s cool, and his friend Veronica is really fun as well. She’s pretty too, don’t you think?”

 

“A pretty face for sure” Archie agrees, obviously. But her reluctance to speak to him and her icy exterior seems to put him off. “She seems full of herself, to me. We should go back to the field. We’re wasting our time talking about her.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Ugh” Veronica’s jaw drops open. She can’t believe people are already putting judgement on her so quickly! She huffs through her nose and looks away.

  
“Hey don’t worry about it V, at least you don’t have to worry about one more boy chasing after you all the time”

  
“You’re right” she realises. It’s also funny hearing Cheryl use that old time nickname on her, the tiniest bit endearing. “He can sleep with the lesser half of Riverdale High for all I care, and it still wouldn’t be anything close to me”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach Clayton is extra fuelled this evening, Cheryl tells her while they watch the boys in action. Apparently he must be very excited with the new competition between teammates, and Reggie likes it too. They do a practice after the tryouts with just the Varsity players, and to say it got intense would be an understatement. Reggie is winning easily, he has more muscle than all of the boys and is used to playing for Regional and National championships. Jason is good too, but he seems to be having more fun than actually fighting to get the ball most of the time.

  
The only one who looks like a hot mess is Archie, so angry at one point that he takes his helmet off and throws it at the ground hard. It makes Veronica smile silently, seeing the happy-go-lucky Archie Andrews with a puss on his face for once is the height of her enjoyment.

  
When Reggie or Jason make a great play they all cheer, which happens quite often. Cheryl and Veronica stand up and holler at the boys, and she follows Cheryl down the bleachers when Coach blows his whistle.

  
It’s pretty windy and downcast and they’ve barely noticed with how high energy has been running, but now that she’s on the field in nothing but her cotton Vixens uniforms it is a tad bit chilly.

  
“That was the best practice ever” Jason admits, his red hair standing up messily on his head as he takes his helmet off. “You play extremely well Reggie”

  
“You weren’t half as bad either Blossom” Reggie says, panting. He grins when he sees that Veronica had come to see his tryout and that she was cheering him on so passionately.

  
“The Ravens are going to be murdered this Friday” Jason says proudly. He’s talking more to Archie, who’s just followed his friend there and now sees who they’re standing with.

  
“It’s a pity Veronica won’t get to sing at homecoming this year” Reggie says casually.

  
Veronica’s eyes flash straight to Archie’s. He’s confused to see her here at all, in a Vixens uniform no less. “ _Reggie_ ”

  
Cheryl squeals. “Veronica, I didn’t know you could sing!”

  
“What are you even doing here, I thought you hated football so much?” Archie speaks up.

  
She glares at him and squints her eyes slightly, putting on the face where he isn’t sure what the hell he’s going to say to him. “I never said that. In fact I used to go to every football game, I was a cheerleader. But for a team that was actually playing for the sport, not a boost for ego influenced by the cliches of 90s teen movies and other superficial reasons”

  
“So what would you suggest make us any better?”

  
“Passion” Veronica states simply, before turning around and exiting the scene. “And to know your place outside of the small town bubblegum world you so blissfully live in.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 _tbc._  

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey people ;) I’m on my last 2 battery percentage on my laptop, so I’ll reply to comments and probably do a proper author’s note later. But I’m on a bus home right now and I figured I’d upload this before my busy week ahead. Hope you enjoyed ❤️


	3. Chapter 2 : Complicated

**_Chapter 2 : Complicated_ **

_x i like you the way you are when we’re drivin’ in your car and you’re talking to me one on one_

_but you’ve become somebody else ‘round everyone else x_

 

 

 

 

 

“She really said that to you?” Betty laughed, still not believing it. She puts her chin on her bare knees, smiling up at him with her big green eyes.

 

“Yeah” Archie shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant. He was still coming down from shock too, after telling the course of events that went down one grey skied evening there on the football field starring him, and Veronica Lodge. “I think she’s trying to knock me off my high horse”

 

“I saw her hanging with Cheryl.” Betty states plainly, leaning back against the banister. “So the clique grows, can you believe it? They’ll be unstoppable now”

 

“Luckily high school is almost over” Archie sighs wistfully, but inside his heart is aching. He doesn’t want this to end. _This_ , simple nights like this sitting on his best friend’s porch, laughing and joking that he knows a year from now won’t be their reality anymore. He knows he’ll be wishing to be back here in Riverdale, dreaming of Friday Night Lights and the social hive of school and talking to Betty until the sun comes up. He knows he’ll miss home cooked dinners by Alice Cooper and even complaining about having to work for his dad in the summers. He’ll miss all of it.

 

  
So right now, all he really wants to do is hold on _desperately_ to anything from this time of carefree perfection.

 

Betty looks like she’s thinking about it too, staring at one bug that makes its way over his shoe and disappears under her porch. Archie turns and looks at her and then, he sees all those things he’ll miss terribly when they’re gone. He sees her, Betty in the shining moonlight, wearing her favourite blue sweater. Betty with her mid length blonde hair and the far away gaze in her emerald eyes. He’s seen her change, but when they’re like this, it’s like time stood still from when they were little. Nothing’s changed, and she’s still Betty with two bows in her pigtails and a pout on her face when her mother calls her ‘Elizabeth’. But she will always be Betty to him.

 

“How was cheerleading tryouts?” Archie clears up his throat and asks, tapping his fingers on her ankle mindlessly.

  
“Good” she replies, sounding anything but. “My mom is happy to see me in that uniform, she says I look like Polly”

 

“Will you have time for it? With all your other clubs and groups?”

 

“I think I’ll manage.” She wants to say _I need the distraction. I need to be as busy as I can get. I need to run away._ But her lips break in a pretty grin and she bumps her leg into his. “Besides, we can finally spend time on your games together”

 

“Yeah” he breathes. The feeling of timeless happiness is overtaking him and this is how it’s started to become when her walls come down, but tomorrow at school he won’t be able to tell the slightest bit what’s on her mind. Archie decides he has to ask her now, before she’s gone again. “Does uh, does Jughead know?”

 

“That I joined the cheer squad? Why should he have to know?”

  
“He doesn’t _have_ to” Archie grumbles at her first pang of defence. “But he is our friend. And he was your..”

  
He barely has time to mumble ‘boyfriend’ before Betty has cut him off with a sharp fierceness in her eyes. “So that doesn’t mean I have to tell him everything and talk to him every second of every day”

  
Archie decides to drop it. There’s no point ruining a perfect moment, no point letting down one of the people closest to him. But a thought does struck his mind and he makes a mental reminder to set his alarm extra early tomorrow morning for it. He’ll drive down to Sunnyside Trailer Park and knock on Jughead’s door himself. The thought of Jughead’s face is swirling a nervous sickness in his stomach, for their last memories and conversations with each other were the least of pleasant. _For Betty_ , he reminds himself. But then realises, looking over at Betty’s expressionless face that she doesn’t want him doing that at all. _For yourself_ , he decides. _For all of us._

 

“So Kev is helping me go shopping for some things to decorate for the homecoming dance” Betty says brightly. She hoped to get Archie out of whatever long thoughts he’s been having and brushes a strand of fair hair behind her ear.

  
“Shopping? Well he’ll love that” he grinned back in response. She breathed a sigh of relief to see him forgetting about her little outburst earlier and back to their normal. “I forgot, you do that like every year since freshman year”

  
That is one thing that Betty always enjoyed even in the heights of her relationship with Jughead, she flourished when she was getting lost in the theme of putting together everything for the big dance. And it was always so planned out and put together, a big extravagance for Riverdale High’s modest simplicity.

  
“Well thank god Kevin likes shopping otherwise I’d be all alone, since you hate it!” She pauses for a moment before biting her lip “You’re going, right?”

 

 _Duh?_ “Yeah of course” he picked a dandelion growing in the edges of her steps and plays with it in his fingers. Where is this going?

 

“Well do you wanna go with me?” Betty said finally smiling wide.

  
He had a hard time saying no, but even more so comprehending it. “You mean like get a ride with me, or..”

  
“No.. I mean do you wanna go to homecoming with me? As dates?”

  
“Oh. Okay” Archie agrees easily. Their wide toothy grins match each other and she buries her head in his hoodie, inhaling the smell of his soap and skin and the comfort that just seeps from it. Tears prick at her eyes and she keeps holding on while they struggle to not fall. _I wish it didn’t have to be like this_. Archie tucks his chin in the crook of her neck and he thinks this could be it, them and their big white houses forever and ever. Betty lifts her head and chuckles like she’s been smiling the whole time. “That’s great. It’ll be so much fun.”

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh my gosh, the shirt fits him perfectly. He looks like a little doggy Guess model!” Veronica coos, excited at the sight of her beloved gerberian shepsky in the adorable black, collared outfit she bought off an online _poshpuppyboutique_.

 

She spent all night with the dog too, an unusual event to happen. Veronica won’t lie, she’s starting to feel like a terribly bad dog owner now that her designated dog-walker, feeder and caretaker; Arnold back in New York didn’t arrive on the flight with Fitz too. She doesn’t know what to do know that the tail wagging, panting little monster is circling restlessly at the crack of eight in the morning just as she’s ready to go to school. But she loves him so, and she figures, _how hard can it be to take care of a dog on your own?_

 

“I was just starting to miss the lively side of you V, but now I kind of wished you left it back at JFK with your Lexus and your charm” Reggie declares as he stares out their window overlooking the foresty track of now orangey leaved trees.

  
“Shut up ass hat” Veronica pokes her tongue out at him. Just in time for their parents to look up from their newspapers and iPads before she whips her head back around.

  
“Language Veronica” her mother scolded uselessly.

  
She rolled her eyes. “Fuck this, let’s go to school Reggie” she knew it would get a raise out of her parents and judging from the awed silence Mr and Mrs Mantle are left in, and the dropped jaw look her mother is sporting she did just that.

  
“Veronica! Hiram- tell her to watch her mouth”

  
Veronica’s eyes glaze over confidently to her father, standing tall in the kitchen with Fitz in her hands and a cocky jut in her chin. Her eyes land on his and she squints, thousands of meanings and communications in the sly action. Hiram looks back at her and she holds his gaze, waiting for that tempered voice to tell her off, but he doesn’t, and she can smirk to herself in the air of an upper hand.

  
_You can’t tell me what to do **now** , can you?_

  
He shakes his head and looks back down at the newspaper dejectedly, not the first time she’s seem him flustered and giving in. “Just get to school” he mutters.

 

 

 

 

 

  
She brings Fitz on the ride to school with them, not too sure where to leave him but she’s sure Andre will look after him while they’re at away. _What are employees for after all?_ For now, she’s revelling in the warmth of her little puppy, curled up comfortably on her lap and the soft carpet-like fur beneath her fingers. She decided to wear a bright skirt today so dog hair won’t be visible at best. She loves holding him, how small he is that both her dainty hands can meet together when they’re holding him by the stomach. She missed him.

 

“So what your mom said at breakfast. Have you made up your mind yet?” Reggie is laying his head back against the leather seat to get closer to her. They’re going to Pop’s first, to pick up a lunch order since Riverdale High’s cafeteria produces stale hospital food.

  
Veronica leans her head back too and sighs. “It’s true. Every boy in school with enough nerve and good taste was asking me about it. I just said no”

  
“Well they have to be pretty brave to ask Veronica Lodge on a date. None of the guys at Spence asked you out” he snickers.

  
“That’s because they know me” she retorts “Oh well. I guess the attention doesn’t suck”

  
She turns away and looks out the window, one hand twirling a black tendril falling past her shoulder. “So why’d you turn them all down” he asks, a kink in his brow “I know there had to be at least one boy you find attractive enough to be on your arm at the dance”

  
“Because- what am I supposed to do with a boy who is nothing like me in every aspect of the universe? The whole dance might be a boring mess. The only boy that’s interesting enough is Jason and Cheryl’s my friend so- no. Chuck is going with Josie” she lists off systematically. “And _I_ wanna go with you”

 

Reggie’s expression is pure amusing to her dancing eyes. He looks surprised for all but two seconds before grinning proudly, the look that assures her he’s just the guy that knows her best and she knows him best. “Seriously?”

  
“Seriously. You’re my friend aren’t you.” she looks serious, leaning in closer. “That a good enough answer for you?”

  
They pull up to Pop’s and Andre gets out to open Veronica’s door, just as Reggie raises his finger to twirl a piece of her hair and stares at her dazedly. “Well.. you’d look pretty great on my arm too”

 

Veronica blinks at him and shakes her head before going out to pick their order up. “Just hold my dog, you bitch”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archie Andrews hums to himself softly, fingers tapping on the cold red counter as he glances back at his father, nodding to him with a grin. Fred raises his hand to a thumbs - up at his son, glasses perched on his nose, flipping engrossedly between papers of the Riverdale Register. His dad has a later time into work today, he’s spending some free time catching up over the paper and chit chatting with Pop at the diner.

  
Archie orders himself an egg and bacon sandwich to go just as the bell chimes and none other, than Veronica Lodge walks through the door.

  
He feels like he’s transported in time suddenly. It reminds him vaguely of that night, when she walked in here with such an air of allure, so much unknown, all he wanted was to know her. Now, her colours are bright- much like Archie’s assumed understanding of her character. He think he knows her already, the spoiled rich girl with a free ticket to all the things good in life; not bothering to stop for any of them.

  
Veronica stops at the counter and brushes a hair out of her face seeing Archie Andrews standing there pretending he’s not looking at her.

  
“What, are you stalking me now?” She sighs, looking forward.

  
“Yeah, this just doesn’t happen to be the only diner in town” Archie nods with a shrug. “After all you’re the one that walked in here. Seems like you’re stalking me”

  
He’s finally turned his amusing, accusing brown eyes on her and she feels it boring into the side of her head. “Yeah” Veronica laughs, dryly. “What can I say, you sure work the homeless look.”

  
They wait a while for Pop Tate to bring their orders out, and there’s a short line of little elementary schoolers with their mothers that can’t be patient- so Veronica looks around at the decor of this bright little diner and all it’s crooks and corners. She’s really taking in every inch of the place, and while Archie doesn’t have much else to do he’s distracted by her.

  
Who wouldn’t be. She’s wearing shiny pearls and a bright, exuberant skirt that’s short and fitting just that perfect way around the flair of her hips. She wears six inch heels even in the buzz of a school morning and the blouse she wears just seems to have been made for her. Everything about her looks like it was made right down to fit her, compliment her, even her long black curls that cascade down her back effortlessly. She’s always put together, and anyone in the room can tell how stunning she is.

  
Veronica notices too. The stolen glances from boys of wide ranges, some younger than her and some she recognises vaguely from class. Even grown men turn twice and look at her, and it’s annoying, but she knows it’s just something about her that works. It’s been like this her whole life- she’s got into the habit of ignoring, but when some Bulldogs clad in their varsity jackets start whispering not so softly about working up their nerve and asking her, she scoffs to herself.

 

“They seem to forget you can only bring one date to a dance, hence all of them are asking” Archie throws out casually.

  
She really doesn’t know why he’s talking to her, but his voice is annoying; the same voice that called her _full of herself_ the other day. His red hair is annoying and waiting is annoying.

  
“You haven’t asked me to the homecoming dance yet” they don’t face each other, Archie’s arms on the counter and hers folded.

  
“True” Archie replied. His voice reeked of annoyance, before the slight double implication in her words hit him and he glances at her with a sudden spark of wavering hope.

  
“But if you dare ask me something really bad might happen to you” she adds casually, in that smooth voice of hers.

  
Archie’s face falls, turning back and rolling his eyes at her comments. This girl never takes a day off, does she? “I wouldn’t wanna invite your posh ass to the dance anyway”

  
“Why? Afraid to be outshined for once in your life?”

  
“No I’ve heard all about you Lodges” he reckons in a relaxed tone “Anything you get close to just blows up into a disaster”

There’ve been numerous whisperings, about Veronica’s family and the crowd they’re part of in New York. None of them know for sure how much truth rings in the rumours, but he at least knows she wasn’t raised to be _nice_.

  
“Well in that case I hope I get very close to you Andrews” Pop places Veronica’s order before his. It might be because she ordered fries and and he got a sandwich, but Archie still feels the urge to needlessly argue about the little thing.

  
Veronica swipes her brown bag up and twirls around to leave happily when she hears Archie’s voice address her again. “So Betty joined the cheerleading squad. And Reggie made the team, I guess our worlds are colliding.”

  
Neither of them are too sure where he meant to go with that comment, but she finds herself turning around anyway.

  
“Quit stalking me Andrews” he scoffs because he clearly isn’t and part of him knows better than to cut her off. “Or the only part of my world that’ll be colliding with yours is my fist to your face” she says it so cheerily, pinning the socialite smile on her dark stained lips. “Have a good day!”

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

  
Whatever Veronica thought about not being part of a giggling, fawning group of girlfriends when she moves to Riverdale, that thought is quickly swiped away because by the second week of school almost all the girls are just as fascinated by her as the boys are. She isn’t bothered by any of them, her classmates that make it to her table in threes or twos to ask _what was it like in New York? Did you know a lot of celebrities? Did you always go shopping in NYC? What do your parents do?_

 

They seem to be totally absorbed in all of it. She entertains some of them; the worthy few, with her colourful stories about the life that just never seemed as _fascinating_ to her as it does to them now since she never knew any different. And with the right hand acceptance of their It Girl Cheryl Blossom, showing her skill as a cheerleader, it seems like all the Vixens really like Veronica now. Or at the very least they’ve looked past her intimidating stance.

 

Everything seems to be falling in her favour until their first period Lit class on a cloudy Tuesday morning, when Mr Atticus decides to assign them a reading project for a book at the top of their senior reading list. It almost feels like a good idea, she miraculously hasn’t read the book yet. Even though everyone else is groaning under their breath. Veronica’s little literature loving mind dances with anticipation, right before Mr Atticus tells them the second part of the assignment.

 

“Now what makes this reading assignment different, is the way we’ll be reading. Your last finals papers are the reason I day drink- you all make it blatantly clear that you had no interest in the book and skimmed through the movie instead” he sighs, sitting on the edge of his table while a soft laughter circles around the classroom. “So this time, that won’t happen. I’m putting all of you in pairs. You’ll have to read the whole book together during or after school time. Once you’re done I’ll expect a detailed report back on everything that happened from each chapter. That way, there will be no escape to reading the book.”

 

Veronica shifts in her seat. She hopes she gets a good partner. Skimming over the heads of her new classmates, well.. none of them look exciting enough to read an entire novel with. Even Cheryl leans over and whispers “Oh god, the last book I ever finished was _Lolita_. _Gone with the Wind_ sounds like a tragic bore”

  
She smiles over her shoulder at the red head and perks her ears again.

 

“So partners.. remember no bribing, no cheating and you have until the end of the month to complete the assignment” Mr Atticus finds the sheet of paper he was looking for out of the scattered pile on his desk and adjusts his glasses before reading off. “Reggie Mantle.. and Jason Blossom”

  
Veronica turned her head to him and he and Jason were silently cheering at each other. “Cheryl Blossom and Tina Patel. Josie McCoy and Ethel Muggs, Chuck Clayton and Evelyn Evernever”

  
The remainder of them hold their breath as he reads off each name in that bored drawl of his. “Betty Cooper and Kevin Keller” they sit up straight and do an enthusiastic thumbs up together. Veronica rolls her eyes.

  
“Veronica Lodge and Moose Mason, Archie Andrew-“

 

“Oh- oh oh, wait. Wait I am _not_ reading a whole novel with a tremendous loser like him” she speaks up, looking their teacher square in the face. “I’ve looked at the gpa chart in the student lounge and there’s no way I’m putting up with a pea brained dope to ruin my grade.”

 

“Veronica!” Mr Atticus scolds immediately. He beats the papers down to the wood table making some people flinch in surprise. “We don’t tolerate that kind of bullying in this class. Say you’re sorry right now.”

  
“Mr Atticus, why would you encourage me to lie?”

  
All of them laugh once again. Mr Atticus looks appalled, but Moose makes a hand motion to tell him it’s no big deal and his face scrunches unpleasantly. “Fine then. Moose you can be with Dilton. Veronica, you partner with Archie Andrews.”

 

Archie sits up in a wake of shock. His eyes pop wide open, desperately pleading for Mr Atticus to switch it back in silence. Luckily, Veronica isn’t into subtlety. “Wait- no. That’s worse!”

 

“No changing partners Miss Lodge” Mr Atticus says very finally, clicking his briefcase shut and walking out without closing the class properly. Cheryl is almost laughing, Jason and Reggie just look concerned while Betty sits with a simmering, off putting feeling in her stomach.

  
The entire class erupts into whispers of reaction. They’ve noticed the rifting tension between both partners, probably because she’s the hottest new thing at Riverdale High and Archie is always being talked about. Veronica is still sitting there with a seething face when Archie books it out of the classroom, knocking her table sideways by purposely banging his leg and hip into the edge. And amongst the chatter she hears Ginger, the loose lipped little groupie sitting two rows behind Veronica whisper to one of the other Vixens.

  
“Ooh, do you think Archie is about to get some private tutoring from Veronica freaking Lodge?”

  
She whips her head of raven hair around quick, glaring at the source of gossip and standing up swiftly. “Bite me Ginger” she huffs “your ombre sucks bitch.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She catches up to Archie in the hall. He’s just finished talking to that blonde girl Veronica can’t remember, and he’s heading in the other direction when she calls out to him. Betty leans her head on her blue locker, a ringing in her head as she observes him and her.

 

“Hey teen outlander” Archie stops in his sneakers. Turns around and Veronica is standing there, sure as ever despite how tiny and dainty she looks. Archie grunts at her. “I can do this assignment alone. Wouldn’t want you dragging my grade down anyway”

  
“Hah, nice try” he rolls his eyes, but they evidently fall back on her doll-like face. “But I won’t let you get me in trouble. So where should we get this thing done already?”

  
Veronica clutches her purse in her manicured hands and looks around them at the drabs of students, not believing she is actually going to spend extra quality time with the last person in the world she wants to spend time with. “Well not my house. You don’t fit in there with all the expensive furniture”

  
“ _Hey_ , nice kids!” Cheryl Blossom’s chirpy animated voice says. She comes up behind Veronica and holds her shoulders, fingers caressing softly. Veronica sees Jason jogging up behind Archie as well, grinning insincerely. “Well hey there guys”

  
“Now now, I know this arrangement is one for the hell pits. But Jason and I, as your friends first and your peer mentors second, agreed to provide comfort and uh.. supervision, for your reading sessions. In the confines of the treasure that is Thornhill.”

  
When Cheryl finishes her announcement Archie’s brows furrow together uncertainly. An evening with Veronica Lodge and Cheryl Blossom in her creeptastic mansion of a house? Any other guy would call it a dream come true but he prides himself in knowing better.

  
Jason chimes in though, assuring that it’ll be stress free zone and they can eat snacks and avoid never finishing their assignment. “Fine.” Veronica relents. “But you better not be late”

 

Cheryl beams proudly and does a little nod at Jason, before turning back and leaving with Veronica. Archie sighs to himself as Jason gives him a pat on the back.

 

“This should be interesting, right?”

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

  
As soon as the last bell rings Archie hastens to his escape before anyone can catch up to him. There’s only a short period before his father will call home to make sure Archie isn’t out gallivanting around town without telling him, and he was supposed to do this before school. Only his tired slumber betrayed him, fighting with the sound of his ringing alarm and the still dark out sky.

  
Then he meant to sneak away during their free period, but _then_ Jason and all the other guys pushed him along to a playful match while the weather looked nice. He believes to have almost made it, only to be stopped at the sharp turn separating Riverdale High’s entrance and the hip student lounge.

 

“Gah” he blinks and swallows from the stuttering scare “Ginger. Hi.”

  
“Hey Archie” Ginger greets sweetly, her hand crawling up the side of his shoulder, fingers on the skin of his neck. Her eyes are void of sweetness, more like hunger. “So the girls and I were talking.. and Tina asked Evie to ask Jason who told her you don’t have a date to the homecoming dance yet”

  
Oh boy. Her innocent little giggle at the end clues Archie right in as to what her next words might be.

  
“I mean I thought I’d ask you. Before they do themselves. Do you want me to be your date to homecoming?” She gushed.

  
Archie had a hard time comprehending her sentence. There’s so many aspects- “Okay Ginger aren’t you _and_ Evie and Tina all like, best friends?”

  
“Well yeah but they don’t know I’m asking you” she smiles happily.

  
“Right. Well I’m already taking someone. Sorry Ginger I really have to go-“

 

“Wait you have a date?!” Archie’s pulled back around promptly as he tries to escape. Archie may have a good eighty something pounds on the girl but her hands are like iron pulling the lapel of his jacket back. “Who? Is she on the squad? Did you ask her? Is it Evelyn?”

  
Archie sighed. “No. It’s not Evelyn, okay? What happened with us was a one time thing it’s over. Look Betty already asked me, and I said yes. I’m sorry Ginger but I really have to go.”

  
The brunette sighed in distress as she watched Archie walk out the big front doors, rushing into his car to get wherever it is he so badly needs to go. She flips her hair in exaggerated movement before pulling out her phone, sending a brief but heavy message to their Vixens group chat. _Archie’s going with Betty Cooper??_

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

  
He takes an even longer time than estimated to get to Jughead’s new residence. Before, The Joneses lived in a run down, dirt cheap home on one of the higher rise streets of the Southside, closer to the tracks of Riverdale and maintained well by Gladys Jones when she lived there. Ever since recently, ever since two months ago to be exact; FP lost his temper and his stability resulting in the loss of his wife and his daughter. They left in the middle of the night thinking he wouldn’t hear them; they were wrong.

 

But really FP has lost his son, too.

 

Archie drove his shiny Honda Civic pass the train tracks separating the Northside and Southside of Riverdale, the dark corners of the neighbourhood beginning to come into view as he scanned through the abandoned buildings, through the network of shops in the market area. He followed his GPS deeper into the Southside, beyond the White Wyrm and Southside High, pulling into Sunnyside Trailer Park. He slowed to an almost stop as he scanned numbers, looking for Jughead’s trailer. Archie tensed up at the sight of homeless men and women laying in their state of poverty, showing up in his fancy car and bright school colours might’ve not been the best idea. The attention following him is apparent, and not the kind he enjoys.

 

The paper marked 316 is one of the bigger sized trailers, it also looks very old in comparison to the others and Archie isn’t sure anyone lives here with how still it is.

  
A bearded man wearing more tatters than material in his clothes passes the trailer by, protesting something at Archie loudly. He backs himself into the door and blinks in fear until the man passes him by. Archie sighs in relief, stumbling back into the doorway and falling with a loud thump when Jughead pulls the door open unexpectedly.

  
“Shit!” His tail bone hurts like pins and needles landed in it, and his arms are in shock from unsuccessfully catching the fall.

  
From above he can see Jughead’s tall frame looming over him, face unamused and a snort escaping his throat. “Having fun there?”

  
“Jug” Archie jumped up desperately “I came to talk to you.”

  
“And I told you to _never_ come looking for me, remember? Or did you forget that?”

  
Archie sputters, unable to find the right answer. How he wants to tell him things going on with Betty and that he and her shouldn’t be cutting each other off like they are. It’s always been Betty and Jughead, that’s the way it’s supposed to be; at least in Archie’s mind. Of course they’ve all made big mistakes along the way and the situations life throws at them didn’t help. He looks Jughead in his tired blue eyes and it’s like something in him breaks, something long buried and afraid to set Jughead off.

 

“I tried calling you” he mutters. Still standing in the entrance of the trailer with the door open. “You have your phone turned off.”

  
“I threw it away” Jughead seethes. He sees that Archie has no intend of leaving until he talks about whatever he wants to talk about, so he slams the door shut and makes the whole trailer rattle with it.

  
The flannel wearing boy makes his way to their mini fridge, grabbing a soda and a packet of cold leftover fries from Pops. Archie sees the six pack of beer in there as well, and shifts uncomfortably. FP hasn’t cleaned his act up in the slightest.

  
“Because of Betty?”

  
“How is she?”

  
“You still care” Archie doesn’t realise how soft his voice got. Jughead looks at him and he just screams _of course I care. I’ll always fucking care._ in the depth of his sad sea eyes. “She’s not doing good, Jug. That’s what I came here to tell you. I- I know you’re not doing good either, Jug. But what happened to the two of you always saving each other? If you would see her now it’s like she’s losing her mind.”

 

“Elaborate, Archie”

  
He moves closer, finally getting Jughead’s interest, the spongey sofa dipping under his weight. “Like she’s bleached her hair back and she tried out to be a Vixen? And she’s acting like everything’s perfect when really her family has fallen apart and she’s trying to pretend none of it happened! You can tell me that’s it because of what happened between her parents but I know her Jug, she’s slipping away because of what you did.”

  
“What I did?” Jughead asks, louder than he was two minutes ago. “Things have been bad for us for a while and you know it”

  
“Jughead I know that you think this ‘break up’ was mutual but the truth is Betty was only reacting to the way you were acting around her”

  
Jughead doesn’t waste time trying to feel hurt. “And did you know that when you brought her into town and got drunk on jelly shots when _my dad_ was being hauled ass from our home and I was left alone with no one to turn to?”

  
“No, no it wasn’t like that! Betty came to me and she said she wanted to have fun-“

  
“I don’t care how it happened!” He burst, outraged. “You helped Betty then so you can damn well do it now.”

  
“Nothing has _ever_ happened between us!” Archie felt like he was fighting with a two year old. Only a very strong willed, very adamant two year old. “If you wanna slum here and waste your life away then by all means Jughead, be my guest. But as someone who grew up with you- I should at least let you know there’s still someone else out there who does want you and still wants the best for you.”

  
“The only one Betty _wants_ is you.”

  
Archie is shaking his head. This is so screwed up and he knows it. Whatever Jughead thinks is happening isn’t happening, but he’s too caught up in his emotional bubble to come to his senses. He realises this was a stupid idea, getting up and walking angrily to the door while speaking. “I’m sorry for not being there for you Jug. It was a mistake but you’re making one too by shutting us out right now.”

  
“Why do you care?” He sneered “You’re not even acting like my friend anymore.”

  
“Yeah” he throws his hands up “I guess we’re not. But it wasn’t Betty and I that ruined our friendship, it was you.”

  
He slams the creaky trailer door as loud as possible, hoping with a little part of him that it’ll snap off the hinges. He said he made a big mistake coming here, but he knows that’s not true. As he’s driving back out into the colourful side of town, and the pieces of their lives falling apart start to appear in the darkness in the clouds he wishes they could go back. Just go back. Back to when it was simpler, back when both his friends’ hearts weren’t broken and they were still friends. _Go back, go back._ The tears prickle in his eyes and he knows that’s not possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  _tbc_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a fair warning guys, since you see the love triangles tag this fic is NOT going to have a betty/archie/jughead triangle. 
> 
> In this chapter Jughead is only pushing them away, for his own reasons but I thought I’d clear that up in case any of you were afraid lol. My birthday is about to be over, I’m sad :( see you next time!


	4. Chapter 3 : She’s Not Afraid

_**Chapter 3 : She’s Not Afraid** _

_x she’s not afraid of all the attention, she’s not afraid of running wild. how come she’s so afraid of_

_falling in love? x_

 

 

 

 

_Archie’s going with Betty Cooper??_

  
Cheryl takes a deep breath when she reads Ginger’s message, and the following five or six from the other Vixens that come as fast as a flying bullet. This can’t be happening. It’s weird, that’s the thing. She contemplates telling all of them to quit being thirsty for Archie Andrews and leave it alone, even types the words out-

  
but falters to hit send. She locks her phone and tosses it on the comforter, falling down to her pillows in deep thought. They’ve _never_ been close. Both their parents never acknowledged the relation until Cheryl was in kindergarten, and it became apparent that they should _know_ who their relatives are. It was fun seeing the Coopers at Thanksgiving then, but it was too late. As soon as elementary school began Cheryl was doing gymnastics with Polly and Betty spent after school at the library absorbed in a pile of books. In middle school, it wasn’t just their hobbies that were different but so were their friend groups. Cousin Betty drifted further and further away until the only realness of her was at their family get togethers, and Cheryl had grown so accustomed to being in a group of girls that generally _misunderstood_ Betty, it was just a second hand mess and awkward icy air.

  
Even in her heart of hearts though, Cheryl felt the slightest creep of.. concern. After all, who else would care about Betty? The vibrations from her phone are getting more insistent.

  
_Does the bitch have him under some kind of spell?? He sounded like they were dating or something!_

  
_He didn’t seem to care about Betty Draper when we were at Josie’s party, hmmm deffo some weird shit going down. Maybe she slipped him one of the weird concoctions she and that emo freak cook up for fun in her backyard_

  
Cheryl snorts at Evelyn’s words. If Betty were even slightly involved with Jughead anymore, none of this would be happening... she decides to join the chat in height of gossip.

  
_You bimbos are lucky I haven’t added her to our VIXENS group chat yet. She’d die if she saw this._

  
A few of them instantly beg Cheryl to never add her, and Evelyn adds; _but totally add Veronica. She seems cool_.

 

Cheryl is feeling even more torn when Josie comes online and starts typing. Thank god, Josie is usually at least a tad more level headed than the rest of them in these matters.

 

_We’ll have to invite her to our sleepover too._

 

The chat visibly stops for a while. _Cheryl??_ Josie asks soon after.

 

There’s two things that Cheryl needs to do and the first is to attempt talking to Betty, the second being mane the Vixens before they send Betty into hell of high school. Unless, she doesn’t really care. She bites her lip and sends out her response typing carefully.

 

_It’s a Vixens sleepover, so **everyone**  will be there. Betty too. And.. Veronica. She’ll know what to do, right?_

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the third morning in a row Veronica wakes up with a throbbing headache, the sound of Fitz panting and his wet tongue having find its way under her covers licking the tips of her toes. She almost kicks the restless dog off, freezing only when she remembers _its just Fitz._ She throws her sleeping mask on the floor and pulls back the covers, almost growling herself when she really looks at the little mongrel jumping on her bed.

  
“Oh this is getting seriously old” at the same time she says it her mother is yelling for her to go out and walk the dog, and her father saying something incoherent and angry very loudly. Waking up to her parents nagging has to be the worst way to begin a Saturday.

  
Veronica pushes back at them, by slamming her door shut and locking it while she takes her sweet time in the shower and turns on some generic pop tune to drown out the sound of Fitz’s barks.

  
When she’s finally emerged from her bedroom, hair perfectly done and dressed smartly in a two piece Chanel dress- everyone looks tired. The cunning smile knocks off her face when she sees it; the picture that is their current living situation. She will never understand why her parents decided to take the apartment practically connected to The Mantles’ when this place barely has many residents. She’s more than thankful that Reggie is here, and he’s close- but seeing their faces every morning at breakfast is itching her last nerve.

  
_Damn, they hang out here on Saturday mornings too?_ “A minimalistic breakfast spread today?” She questions, picking up a plate from the table while Fitz circles around her ankles.

  
“No, Veronica before you eat breakfast you’re going to walk the dog first. The rest of us have had to endure his noise all morning while you were sleeping.” Her mother instructs, sharply, no room for compromise.

  
“ _Mom_ ” Veronica is scowling the same way she perfected when she was five. “You know I can’t do that.”

  
“Well I guess it’s time for you to learn about responsibility, right?” Her father speaks up. Veronica wants to fire back, she purses her lips and stands still; controlling herself. Is he seriously talking to _me_ about responsibility? _Well then._

 

“Reggie?” Veronica finds him laying in one of the brown leather arm chairs with his legs thrown over one side. He has his headphones on, laptop on his lap, completely absorbed in whatever he’s doing. She smiles and batts her eyelashes at him, head cocked to the side. “You’ll walk Fitz for me, right?”

  
All she got in reply was a half hearted shake of his head, eyes still glued to whatever on his laptop screen that was more important than her, Veronica Lodge. She couldn’t believe it. The sound of Fitz barking is driving her nuts while the people in this house are making her fume with anger.

 

“Veronica! Put that dog out of it’s misery!” Her mother shouts from the kitchen again. _God why did we ever leave New York_. “I’m going mom!” She shouts back, a tad harsher than she should’ve. The real reason she’s up and dressed at ten on Saturday morning is because of that reading assignment Mr Atticus paired her and Archie Andrews for, and per Cheryl and Jason’s offer their meeting commences at Thornhill in exactly twenty minutes because apparently both twins have non negotiable plans the rest of the weekend.

 

Veronica already has a plan up her Chanel sleeve as to who is actually going to walk this dog, but as she passes the foyer to grab her coat - she sees her father moving around things on his desk office. _Just one more thing._

 

“This home office looks really nice dad” she comments, stepping on the shiny wood floor one heel at a time, slow and observant. Her fingers curl around the doorknob as he looks up from his desk at her, confusion and suspicion running through his veins.

  
As soon as the door is shut Veronica crosses her arms over her chest loosely, and Hiram knows she isn’t here to compliment the house decor or ask how work is going. After all they haven’t had a private conversation like _this_ since that night in the Dakota when she confronted him. “What do you have to say to me _mija?_ I thought you should be on your way”

 

“Do I need to really remind you that I’m still keeping your secret?”

 

The question catches him off guard, the cold, sober bluntness of it. And his daughter has never been good with subtlety but even she had found a way to live around the topic.

 

“Keep your voice down-“

  
“I’d rather not even talk” she says sharply. “I don’t think you get to tell me what to do anymore. You don’t _get_ to talk to me about responsibility, even at the smallest capacity when I kept my mouth shut about what _you’re_ not taking responsibility for.”

 

“Veronica. I told you that chapter is behind us, it ended. Months ago.”

 

“Oh but I could still do something about it.” She feels flames burning in her eyes. The ones mirroring her father’s glassy dark orbs. “I mean it’s not like it would hurt mom any less, right? And you might be COO of Lodge Industries, but the board still controls who’s on top. And what do you think they’d do if they found out their chief operating officer was-“

  
“Don’t you _dare_ speak to me like that Veronica Lodge!”

 

She bites her bottom lip from laughing out loud, proud of herself for getting the raise out of him that she wanted. He looked half terrified and half desperate and she gazed around the corners of the room, thin walls making everything quite audible here. It feels like adrenaline is running in her veins; the light buzzing sensation on the thigh of her skirt is what snaps her out of it. It’s from _Cheryl Blossom._ Another one comes up as soon as she sees the first one; probably asking where she is.

  
“I’m still keeping your secret, daddy” she repeats. “And you know what I’m capable of.”

  
This time it’s softer, and just the right amount of warning that when she whirls around and swings his office door open the worry that he might ever try and tell her what to do again is completely lost on her. “I’m going to Cheryl’s now. Have a nice day daddy!”

 

 

 

  
As soon as she makes it downstairs Andre is standing by the car door, usual pleasantries on his lips as she slides in the back seat. “A hundred dollars to walk Fitz and not utter a word to my parents. Now, to Thornhill please.”

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

  
Archie has his back against the Civic while Vegas is circling it, padding his wet paws all through the garage floors and making hundreds of obvious paw prints all over it. It’s cold enough outside that Archie finds himself doing a lot of things in the garage, like running. He prefers running outside, with the smells of the forest after rain and the breeze hitting his bare skin over a treadmill any day. But as winter rings close that’s what has to be done.

 

Fred had turned their garage into something like a teenage boy’s haven once Archie got old enough to ask for it, and a lot of the things in here are marked with his personality. The band posters, multiple stray footballs just found in any corner, stacks of his old superhero comics and worn out dirty sport shoes chucked to the side. Nothing in the Andrews home is really ever organised anymore; and Archie can only vaguely remember a time when it was.

 

Like this morning, when Fred pulled out cans of paint from the top shelve that most of their lids were missing, and fishes for his different paint brushes in the good old tool box. He’s doing a precise job to work over the deep scratch that had imprinted itself on Archie’s new vehicle, something Fred was very unpleased to see when he got home the first day of school.

 

“I swear dad, you know how careful I am with it! I’d never do anything stupid- this jackass opened his door and totally scraped it in the parking lot” Archie had defended. Which Fred only responded with a sigh and telling him they’ll fix it later, not giving attention to the story as he usually does.

 

“So who is this new kid? You haven’t told me anything other than he’s Coach’s new favourite. Which isn’t true, by the way”

  
Archie half smiles at his dad. “It is. Well I don’t really know much about them.”

 

“Them? There’s more than one?”

  
“Yeah. Uh, a boy and a girl. They moved from some prissy private school in New York or whatever. Betty and Kevin say they’re bad news.” Archie sounds like he couldn’t care less.

 

“And how is that?” His father inquires, doing a last stroke to the long silver scratch on his passenger door. “Betty I mean”

 

“Mm, she’s fine I guess.” Archie shuffles his feet on the greasy floor. _Pretending to be fine_. A million other things come to his mind, but he can’t really blurt them out to his dad can he? “Dad.. do you think if someone say.. starts dating one of their friend’s exes- but knew there were no more feelings between them. Would that make them like, bad?”

 

Fred looks up at Archie candidly. He knows the question isn’t as hypothetical as his son makes it to be, at least that’s what he’s making out of it. “If it feels right and you’re completely sure it’s not hurting anyone. People can be with whoever they want to be with. And I think I know what you mean..” he trails off, raising his brows at Archie. “About Betty.”

 

“No” he denies. “That’s not what I mean”

 

“Really? Then what do you mean?”

 

Archie knows the implication behind his father’s words. It’s not like the smallest probability on earth out of the realm of possibility that he and Betty could be together. They’ve always been best friends after all. Closer than Betty and Kevin, closer than him and Jughead. There was always a connection that came with their friendship, and she is the only girl he can find himself hanging out with for no other reasons other than to hang out.

 

“I don’t know” the weight of her head on his shoulder when she hugged him on her porch, the small tone in her voice when she asked him to the dance. And Jughead’s complete outburst yesterday- “I’m kind of getting confused. I guess”

 

“Well, I saw the Notre Dame letter on the dining table. I also saw it was still sealed.”

 

Archie had received the letter before school even started, late in the summer when all he wanted to think about was senior year and doing everything with his friends- stuffing the letter back in the mailbox until recently. When it was raining and he went to grab the mail as he always does after school, and the big white envelope reminded him with a blare that college was just on the turf of his near future.

 

“That’s what you want, right? You and Moose planned on getting there with the football scholarship?”

 

“It’s what I want because I love playing football” he nods. This is the first time his dad has brought up college since the school year started and it feels even worse than last year in the chaos of SATs. “But is it what I really want to do right now? I’m not.. sure”

 

Archie feels like he’s lost any semblance of what he wants at _all_. Does he want to stay here forever, take over his dad’s business and just stay in Riverdale? When his dad asked him that last year Archie responded with a firm _NO_ , and Notre Dame was a big opportunity with a great sports niche and everything good that could come to him seemed to be packed in that choice. It isn’t just should he get out of Riverdale or not, but if he does.. will that fill any of the growing, empty void that’s been living in the background of his life for the past eight years? _What if I took a road trip up to Chicago after senior year, and went to be with mom instead? I haven’t seen her in forever, dad.._

 

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

  
Thornhill is a sight for sore eyes. She’s missed seeing houses like _this_ , gated residence with a long foresty drive and the big, looming mansion coming into view. The big balconies overlooking all of Riverdale and a twenty feet deep swimming pool out back. Back in New York most of her friends lived in luxury apartments and penthouses, none of them really had a _mansion_ like this one. But she did. Her parents bought a summer home in Atlanta Georgia when she was really little. It’s different from the Hamptons house, and the sea chalet in Bali. She lets the window down and her hair blow in the wind as they drive up Thornhill’s long pathway lit by orange street lights, and thinks one day she’d like to have a big house like this one.

 

Behind the grandeur lights and beautiful landscaping though, Thornhill is decorated and built like a gothic horror haunted house from the 70s. She’s only comforted the slightest bit when she steps onto the golden entrance floors, and Cheryl is standing there with a lazy smile on her face.

 

“Welcome to Thornhill” she says

 

Veronica keeps her awe to herself as she takes in the whole place, the grand staircases and dark touches to all parts of the house. Even in the morning, it’s lit so dim that she can barely see where the living room ends or up the staircase. “I’m so glad you’re finally here!” Cheryl squeals.

  
Veronica smiles back when the red head comes down and links their arms together. “Your house is hauntingly beautiful”

  
“Thanks” Cheryl oddly appreciates Veronica’s candidness. The two make their way up the big staircase, very opulent and untouched. There’s family portraits and then personal portraits of all of them on the walls along the way up and Veronica can’t help but stare. Sometimes she wonders what it’s like to have a sibling. Growing up she never felt lonely, from a young age she was extremely good at making friends (with the people in her world) and she was always available for sleepovers and slumber parties. Then as middle school came so did the boys, Veronica never felt lonely with them trying their luck to spend time with her then either. But now, as she sees Cheryl and Jason’s tiny; almost hidden smiles in their photo together it strikes her that maybe she’s been more lonely her whole life than she’s realised.

 

Cheryl gives a brief tour of the house and pops into each room as they move along, hands never letting go of each other. The more Veronica hears Cheryl speak the more she realises how alike yet different they are, and she’s always left more interested, wanting to talk to her again. “We have a music room and a sports supply room where all Jason and I’s gear is kept. He plays water polo too and I do have another secret talent up my sleeve.”

  
Veronica feels the same grin that Cheryl’s wearing form on her own face. She’s just about to ask what it is when they hear a voice from the left side of the hallway.

  
“Cheryl dear, is that you?”

  
She sighs reluctantly even as she pulls Veronica towards the room. “It’s my Nana Rose” she tells. “Don’t worry, she’ll love you. You’re dressed perfectly too”

  
Veronica tosses her inky hair over her shoulder while doing a once over of her purple fall - toned dress. “Are you kidding me? Old people love me. Well- as long as I don’t have to take care of them.”

  
She follows Cheryl into the dark, elegant bedroom that is covered in old wallpaper and smells like burnt rose petals, where the older ‘Mrs Blossom’ is sitting in an antique wheelchair. Veronica fights the urge to step back- the room and the woman and her immaculately coifed hair, a single red stripe in it, makes her feel like she’s stepped in an episode of the _twilight zone_. Cheryl may be annoyed but Veronica can tell she loves her grandmother when she goes over and stoops down to kiss her.

  
“Nana, this is Veronica Lodge.”

  
Veronica smiles with charm at the gazing old lady. She eyes Veronica keenly, looks between both girls and their very similar attire. One of Cheryl’s friends. “Well hello dear, you go to school with Cheryl and Jason?”

  
“I’m a senior too” she nods “I just moved here though, from New York City.”

 

Nana Rose seems pleased and the girls wink at each other, before Cheryl says that they have homework to be done before the ‘ _chaotic weekend ahead_ ’. They disappear into the hall and start walking to Cheryl’s room, when Veronica finds that Thornhill is quiet and sullen too, just like her home always was. It’s strange, but she actually feels at ease to be in a similar home environment to hers and it makes her warm up to the idea of The Blossoms even more. “You’re parents aren’t home, then?”

 

“They’re in Montreal for some work” Cheryl says simply. “They’re away together more than they are home together so”

  
“Ugh, my dad’s the same way. One time I had to go to his office for an appointment to talk to him about how I wanted to stop doing dance. Screw him” Veronica sighs, grainy flashbacks of the fact that her father won’t have any power over her any longer. She likes that she has one more person under her belt in life.

  
Cheryl opens the door to her bedroom and it’s smaller than her bedroom back at the Dakota, with black chrome walls that have minimal frames draped on them. She has an enviably huge vanity, bookshelf, a canopy sleigh bed and a huge wardrobe in one corner. All the furniture is either black or as dark red as dry blood, and everything looks very neat despite the initial busyness. There are French windows opposite her bed that overlook the view of Thornhill’s pool outside.

  
“This is really cool” Veronica admits appreciatively “A little Bride of Chucky for my taste, but it’s cool”

  
Cheryl snorts. “Jason will come over when Archie does”

  
They’re supposed to sit here and lounge for a while, so Veronica takes the opportunity to look around at the missing pieces of Cheryl Blossom’s life as she knows it now. All the little details on her desk and drawers are just as in theme as the rest of the room, and she’s extremely neat. She can’t quite imagine a little Cheryl and Jason living here, in such a dark and adult environment. The books on her bookshelf are mostly romance novels, year books and some newer popular franchises. On the third shelf though, behind her battered Teen Vogue and Vogue magazines is a white acrylic photo frame with four little kids in.

 

She can identify the two red haired, brown eyed children as Cheryl and Jason even though they had the same length hair, just brushing their shoulders. They have exactly the same smile, wide grins on chubby cheeks. It looks like they’re in some park, and between them are two blonde girls similar enough to be mistaken as twins too.

 

“Yes, that is Betty Cooper and her sister Polly with us”

  
Veronica can barely react. “Seriously? She looks.. exactly the same” the only thing missing is a tight ponytail and the unwavering distress on her face.

 

“Trust me she didn’t always look exactly the same” Cheryl seems amused as she scrolls through the photos on her camera roll, scooting to the edge of the bed and holding her phone up to Veronica’s eyes. The picture is of both Cheryl and Betty, looking uncomfortable with their backs to each other at what looks like a family Thanksgiving. Cheryl looks like a slightly younger, fresher faced version of herself but Betty- is _completely different._ Her hair is as long as Cheryl’s, tangling together with black ink streaks in it. Despite the black dress and baby blue denim jacket she’s donning Betty actually looks _happy_. _She’s smiling_ , at least. And that might be the biggest difference to what she is now.

 

Veronica is sparked with a tiny bit of intrigue and curiosity, at the seemingly good girl innocent blonde girl. She’s about to ask Cheryl about it when the door flies open and Jason’s tall lanky frame is standing there.

 

“Hey Veronica. Archie’s here”

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
The Blossom twins’ study is gorgeous. It’s not nearly as Georgian styled as the rest of their home, with smooth wooden tables and plush light green couches, there’s a laptop for each of them and individual desks facing two different windows at opposite ends of the room. In the middle, there’s one single desk with a fountain pen holder; and it overlooks the whole Thornhill yard. “Our study is the heart of this home” Cheryl has said when they walked in. It explains how this one room wraps around the entire house, with windows allowing you to see from every which corner to the outside. Veronica hasn’t even noticed the fourth presence here; she’s admiring the opulent and breathtaking room as they step in it.

 

Jason walks over to one of the couches and sits down on it, pulling out his phone from his back pocket. Jason looks a lot more unbothered and relaxed, even for him, at home than on a school day. It’s a stark contrast to his sister who knows no bounds of fashion even in it’s most decadent form. Veronica walks into the room and breathes it in, it smells like pinewood and fresh linens. Like fresh air, and she closes her eyes just long enough to imagine this smell surrounding her being back in Central Park.

 

Veronica finds herself so enamoured she takes a seat at the desk in the middle front of the room, not afraid to assume the position. “So, Celia will be bringing up some snacks soon. But you guys should get started if there’s nothing else to say.”

 

Archie is _beyond uncomfortable_ in The Blossom’s lavish home. He’d heard endless stories from Betty about the other side of her dad’s family’s wealth, and how their swanky, luxurious lifestyle knew no such end. This is his first time being in Thornhill. And to make matters more intimidating, he’s standing there like the biggest dope in the room with _Veronica my parents own a vineyard in New York Lodge_ and the other two most conceited teenagers in Riverdale. At least, that’s only what Archie thought.

 

He can see her sitting there, raven hair in loose curls down the light fabric of her dress. Skin glowing with an almost glittery sheen in the sunlight bleeding from the windows facing her, and the length and proportion of her legs in light purple stilettos. For some reason, Archie is just always.. _bewitched_ every time he sees her in the light. Every time he sees her walk into a room, and steal all the electricity from every port when it disappears in her eyes and in her presence. He can’t see her face, just the perfection of the back of her body, and she isn’t saying anything _smart ass_ to annoy him, and his heart jumps just a little bit because Veronica Lodge is undoubtedly the most beautiful person he’s ever laid his eyes on. _But i’m never gonna tell her that._

“Hello? Are you gonna stand there or are we gonna read?” She turns her head around and catches him with those doll like eyes and immediately the adoration disappears from him.

 

“Yes. Um yeah let’s just do this” Archie isn’t gonna admit but he has no idea how this assignment even works. Mr Atticus was right, last year he and a few other buddies watched the movie based on the novel the night before their mid term.

 

He takes a seat on the couch opposite Jason, awkwardly. It isn’t as soft as he expected. Cheryl grimaces when Archie sits next to her, she’d rather choose to stand next to Veronica. “So you’ll read from the beginning, aloud, and I’ll put all our notes and observances down here. And I’ll go back home and note them all out in a proper report. But you have to give me your thoughts too. And we’ll discuss. You can.. read right?”

 

Archie glances at her like she’s just spoken a Yiddish poem to him. “Just kidding” she grins, looking back ahead, away from him. “But get a glass of water or something because we’re not going to be switching places. I have the best handwriting.”

 

He begins a mental battle with himself to ignore Veronica’s unwanted comments and pulls the book they’re reading out of the big _Green Grocer’s_ bag he brought it in. This copy is huge in size too, the title _Gone With The Wind_ taking up most of its cover. Veronica graciously sits at the table with her legs crossed like a lady and begins writing down whatever it is she said she would, while Archie reads to them. He has a calm voice. _It sounds better when it’s reading words that aren’t **his**_ , Veronica says in her head.

 

Jason and Cheryl check Instagram and Twitter and eat the grapes and sandwiches Celia sent up for them all, but they eventually put their phones down and get really into it too.

  
“She’s thinking confessing her love is going to get him to elope with her, when it’s obvious he loved Melanie” Veronica says aloud, in the middle of Archie’s reading while her hand is still writing and her head is shaking. “Seriously.. why does every woman think she can change a guy? And why should she have to? I mean it’s so overdone. A girl should be with someone who wants her back, _more so_.”

 

Nobody says anything to respond to her, not even Archie. Who just swallows helplessly because he can’t add to the statement.

  
“Well I think it’s the whole point of the book” Jason declares, showing his acute observance.

  
“What do you mean, Jay Jay?” Cheryl drawls, bored.

  
“The Southern Society back then punished any woman who’d put her toe over the formed gender lines. Scarlett being ambitious, vain and going after what she wanted was butting against the rigidness that was women’s ascribed traits back then. I’d say it’s pretty admirable that she’s being like that even _if_ Ashley isn’t interested in her. That isn’t the point.”

  
Archie likes what he’s saying too, and smiles with a little nod at the other red haired boy.

 

“Well that is admirable but having a girl chase after a guy is indeed tiring and unneeded even in the slightest. I cannot imagine any boy in all my wildest dreams worthy enough to be chased after.” Veronica remarks stoically.

  
“Me too, for sure” Cheryl agrees.

  
“Damn, you must be quite sure of yourself to say you’d never fight for somebody to get their love.” Archie looks up from his book at the same time that Veronica turns to him, unfazed.

  
She says simply, “I am.”

  
“Girls wasting their time seeking out boys’ attention is as pitying as a dog chasing it’s own tail. There’s so many better more important things to do than fretting over stupid little boys.”

  
“Love is, without a doubt.. a dirty four letter word” Veronica adds in after Cheryl’s little speech, voice muted but not meant to be unheard.

  
Archie snaps the books shut with sharpness. “You shouldn’t be surprised then; when guys can’t fully trust you in a relationship because you see yourself as above any part of them.”

  
“If a boy has that little faith in me to not be able to see my past my character then why would I even bother being in a relationship with him?”

  
“Because you may not choose who you love but you choose to open up your heart to love, but it seems like you’re the least bit willing to open up your heart to anything- maybe that’s what makes you’ so unable to comprehend the idea of loving anybody. Or anybody loving you, even.”

 

Veronica is speechless for the first time in her life. She can hear Jason make a nervous chuckling sound behind her, and Archie’s _winning_ little grin is as infuriating as anything he just said. How dare he say that nobody could love me? It’s a fine line between her own confusion and intrigue at his remark and the anger that boils behind it but as always her first instinct is to attack.

  
“ _No one_ talks to me like that.”

  
“Obviously, it’s time someone does”

  
“You better watch yourself” she threatened, jaw clenched tight and nose in the air. Cheryl remained leaning against the desk watching Archie and Veronica spar.

  
“Why?” He asks, leaning closer forward. “Can’t handle the truth?”

 

Her heart is pounding in her chest and she doesn’t even realise it, realise how fast her blood is pumping and the sting when she’s biting the inside of her twitching lip. Out of the corner of her eye two mops of orange haired figures are standing as still as statues and for some reason Archie thinks it’s a good idea to stand up and walk to her seat, looming over her in his tall frame and blocking her vision of sunlight. As all that’s available for her to see is him, expectant a nothing-less-than-smart reply from her lips.

  
“You need to lose the ‘holier than thou’ attitude, it doesn’t suit you.”

 

“Me?” Archie is already chuckling unbelievingly to himself. “ _You’re_ the one who acts like what you deem is right and everyone else in the world is wrong.”

 

“Not everyone, just you.”

  
“Okay you two!” Cheryl finally snapped. Both of them were almost inch close to each other before Cheryl slapped Archie hard on the chest sending him stumbling backwards. “This is exactly what we were to prevent happen.”

  
Veronica is heaving when she manoeuvres back forward and the coolness of her own hair hitting her cheeks is making her aware of how flushed hot she is. It takes a second for the twins to communicate in some telepathic manner before Cheryl is pulling her up to leave. She’s more than happy to leave, gathering all her things and placing them back nicely. She walks with utmost poise and only glances back when they’re at the exit to face the one brooding boy. “I knew there was more to you than just testosterone and a varsity jacket.”

 

 

 _tbc_. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a/n : hey guyyyys. so i’ve noticed that this fic has gotten a lot less feedback than in the name of love, and i get it. that was dramatic and high stakes and turbulent things happen almost every chapter. but then i noticed that there’s just as many hits as itnol got before, so not for nothing but where the heck are ya guys?? 
> 
>  
> 
> all i can really ask is to trust me, and this might not be the same fast paced storyline but it will have the same feel of drama. 
> 
> so i hope to see more of all of ya :) it’s easier to write when there’s feedback and it’s a thousand times more motivating, so i really hope you do. love you guys 
> 
> also riverdale is back?!!! WTF. i’m losing my mind with the pain of varchie being apart already, what am i gonna do with myself alsjdhdak if you wanna talk more about riverdale stuff or anything my tumblr is @ff16xo. 
> 
> i’ll be seeing ya


	5. Chapter 4: All Of The Lights

_**Chapter 4 : All Of The Lights** _

_x strobe lights, street lights, fast life,_

_every night. all of the lights x_

 

 

  
** Archie **

  
His hand stays rolling the dice, shaking it with the little cube moving around in his palm before tossing it across the board and sighing in contentment. Betty’s mixing her tall glass of iced tea with a spoon making the same slushing, clinking sound and Kevin is too busy trying to find a card he swore he had, while the tv plays softly behind. Archie is practically humming to himself, in tune of the buzzing air conditioner and an unchained melody he keeps hearing on his car radio.

 

Whenever it feels like this, Archie knows he’s fallen into normalcy. The easy kind. The kind that makes him smile contentedly and twiddle his toes because he’s so happy to be so comfortable. Not to be confused- he enjoys all the post game _Bulldogs and Vixens exclusive_ parties more than a kid loves cake, but this; it’s just pure light hearted joy.

 

“Oh yes, I have a hotel on Park Avenue. Pay up, Arch” Betty hands over the credit card machine with a smile and shrug.

 

“How come you always buy all the expensive properties?” Archie questions, as he’s sliding his blue card in and transferring money to Betty’s red one.

  
“Because I’m a strategist. And I have good luck” she adds.

  
“How come we’re playing Monopoly at all?” Kevin sounds tired as he tosses the dice and starts moving along the board. “Isn’t this like key to killing all friendships?”

  
“You’re dad bought you the game!” Betty reminds, stretching out and running a hand through her blonde hair. “Besides our friendships are strong enough that we don’t have to worry.”

 

They all exchange assured and happy smiles in a beat of silence. Kevin takes forever to decide wether or not buying a house on Old Kent Road is worth it while he’s currently in a delve of near bankruptcy, when Betty places her glass down on the soft carpet carefully. “So, Kev. Tells us about what happened in the boiler room during free period on Friday?”

 

“Oh, boy. I don’t even know. No seriously, you don’t wanna know!” He protested as Archie held his stomach in laughter. “Moose has muscles for days and he’s definitely my type, but part of me wishes he’d be more open at least with himself.”

 

“Well when I talked to him at practice about it, it seemed like he was really into you too” Archie tried, knowing the turmoils his friend was going through. It didn’t seem fair to Kevin no matter what, but none of them were really in a fair position right?

  
Kevin pressed his lips together tightly and attempted to smile, dark hair falling into his light eyes as he casted them downwards in silence. Betty and Archie’s eyes met as they figured out what to say next, feeling the tension and disappointment of their best friend in the way he didn’t speak.

 

“So! Tomorrow is.. possibly the most dreaded calendar day of the year” Betty says with a roll of her eyes. The game is abandoned as she starts mixing her tea again and leans against Kevin’s bed. “The Blossom family dinner.”

  
“Pretty sure that’s not a calendar day, Betty” Archie laughed.

  
“Well it is on my calendar. As much as I wish it wasn’t.”

  
“Just do what you do every year!” Kevin says easily. “Put on your pretty dress and stoic face and pretend the whole evening isn’t even happening until it’s over.”

  
She sighs long and tiredly, pressing the back of her hands into the carpet thinking of all the reasons this year is going to be different than the ones before. Even as little kids, her mother never went to the family get togethers and it was always her, Polly, Chic and their dad. She feels her heart take a leap and shatters at the thought of her father. She’s trying her best not to cry, and it’s _really damn hard_. Her breath gets shallow just as she reminds herself that this sleepover was meant to help her get _away_ from the empty, cold shell of a home she lives in now and blinks until the tears subside.

  
“I haven’t seen my dad since.. then. And guys I really didn’t want to do this but-“ a sob escapes her throat as soon as she feels her face crumple up, and it’s so painful and embarrassing that she curls up and hugs her face into her knees in one fast move. “I’m not ready”

 

Her words are muffled by the skin of her legs, but Archie can hear it and he wants to die because if Betty’s crying that means she’s official broken down. Kevin reaches forward and starts trying to get Betty to calm down, soft words and gentle hugs. “How am I gonna face him.. Kev?”

  
Archie swallows as he watches them. The heat feels like it’s turned up too high suddenly, and all that comfort and calmness he felt before is starting to sift away. “You don’t have to” Kevin assured quickly. “Look, what are best friends for? To be there for you always”

 

“Would you do that?” Her green eyes perk up instantly. “Be my date tomorrow, more like emotional support” she clarifies.

  
Kevin’s positive expression falls off his face just as Betty speaks and he turns to shoot Archie a meaningful raise of eyebrows, confusing him. “Actually I uh- can’t. Tomorrow.”

 

“Oh.”

  
“My dad has a banquet with the force and I have to be there, I mean it’s practically mandatory attendance for the family. I’m sorry. But I’m sure.. Archie could be there for you?”

 

What? He doesn’t really know _why_ his first thought is to throw out a non existent excuse for not being able to, when he’s perfectly free and it’s not that he doesn’t want to help Betty. It just feels too weird for some reason. But Betty and Kevin are looking at him expectantly with those pretty bright eyes and it’s not like he can really say no.

 

“Um..” before he can really think Kevin is jumping in as the good friend that he is.

  
“Absolutely. Betty needs a date and I won’t take no for an answer”

  
Archie still doesn’t say anything, he’s just lost under the satisfied smile on Kevin’s face and the impish gaze Betty is giving him, second guessing all of this, remembering what Jughead said. _What Betty wants is you._ And just like that he already knows this is going to make matters worse.

  
“Thank you, Arch. It really means the world to me”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Betty’s father is going to pick her up from home to go The Blossom family day, and Archie promises he’ll be there too. It’s a black tie event, and Betty tells him that he only needs ask for her help on what to wear since he isn’t really sure what’s appropriate for black tie. Archie has a moment’s fierce panic that he doesn’t have anything suitable in his closet. He texts Betty back and thanks her for the help, and she borrows one of her brother Chic’s formal wear since he and Polly won’t be making it from college.

  
It feels like he spends all of Sunday afternoon getting ready. His dad is impressed that he’s attending what is apparently a prestigious business gathering so exclusive you wouldn’t even be able to buy your way in. It’s a birth right, as a Blossom. It makes him feel a little bit better about the whole night ahead and when he finally slips into his shoes he doesn’t bother hiding his own satisfaction at the reflection. His suit is as dark as night in colour, slightly tighter around the shoulders and back as Chic wasn’t as broad and big in size as Archie is. Against the dark colour his hair stands out even more than usual.

 

“How do I look?” He asks his dad, walking down the stairs as slowly as he can, where he’s sitting at the dinner table with papers and his glasses on.

  
“You look fancy” he comments, rising laboriously to his feet and taking a better look. Down in the street Archie sees the headlights of Hal Cooper’s car pulling up in front of Betty’s house and hastily moves to grab his phone on the table. The way Betty was acting, it’s like she didn’t want to spend even a second alone with her father.

  
“Mr Cooper is here” he says to his dad “I’ll see you later.”

  
He hears his dad call out for him to have fun as he’s clattering out the front door and down the porch steps towards the Cooper House. Betty looks far polished than usual and elegantly beautiful in her champagne pink lace dress. Her eyes gleam as she looks at him. “You look perfect.”

 

“Thank you” He tugs her close enough to give a supportive hug and it happens so quickly, without thinking Archie presses a quick kiss to her cheek and the motions freeze in both of them. _Shit.. did I do something wrong?_ “You look beautiful” he says quickly to cover the air of awkwardness, and Betty breaks eye contact with him.

  
“I guess I cleaned up pretty well” Betty says carelessly, but he can tell she’s still thinking about the cheek kiss and she’s lingering on it. “Got what you need?”

  
Archie nods, and Betty leads him down to the curb where her father is standing outside the car. He nods curtly in acknowledgment at Archie, and then leans forward and presses a kiss to Betty’s forehead. “I’m so happy to see you Betty. You look lovely”

  
“Thanks dad” she tries to smile and hide the fact that she isn’t ready to be seeing her father at all, not so soon and not under what feels like forced circumstances. She’s glad when he’s done hugging her and they can climb into the car. He tries to make small talk and ask how life’s been, but all Betty replies with is one words answers and it doesn’t help any of the discomfort Archie is feeling. She stares out the window, looking bored and bothered. But a little later she catches his eye and gives him a hopeful grin as they pull into the venue.

 

There are lots of people already there when they arrive at the Belmont Lodge, which unnerves Archie a little. Tonight’s family dinner is not just a get together for the Blossom and Cooper clan, it’s also studded with the most important and wealthy businessmen that do all sorts of things, none more so than Clifford Blossom himself. He’s thought about it before falling asleep last night, that he will be seeing Jason and Cheryl Blossom here in their most real, pompous form. After spending a morning in the gothic horror mansion that is Thornhill yesterday, going back to his simple living was more than a relief.

  
It’s only a tad bit beyond his usual milieu, but he’s also supremely confident that he looks to be fitting in just right and some of the men standing by the entrance recognise him as Riverdale High’s star quarterback and Archie feels a flush of pride.

 

But only for so long does his comfort last, as one very glammed up Cheryl Blossom with her long red curls and mischievous grin approaches the pair when they’re shuffled to the side as all the adults exchange greetings. “Cousin Betty” she says cheerfully. “And the _aw, shucks_ red! I need to borrow my cousin, sweetheart. Just for a moment of girl talk.”

  
Archie feels apprehensive. He knows how much Betty loathes Cheryl despite their relation, and he might actually be the only person on earth patient enough to stand Cheryl’s attitude for not liking her. But Betty nods at him, her face showing no emotion, so he finds himself wondering off to look around the glamorous venue.

 

“Cheryl” Betty says her name like it’s something ugly, making the red haired girl roll her eyes and cross her arms. They’re standing outside where the air is extremely cold to be standing without a coat, but Cheryl doesn’t seem to be bothered; despite wearing a spaghetti strapped long viridian gown. Betty realises she must be making a point.

 

“I didn’t call you over to be catty and insult you, Betty. If I wanted to I could do that any other day” she takes a deep, wary breath before continuing. “Look I don’t know when this wage of war started between us, but can’t it be over? At least.. for tonight?”

 

“It started Cheryl, when you were too smart and cool to suddenly even talk to me anymore. A long time ago. And no, you making a gesture to me at the only event of our lives that we both have to attend isn’t going to change that. Let’s just ignore it like we always do, okay?”

 

Betty feels like she’s said her piece, but Cheryl isn’t finished yet and pulls Betty back by the shoulder to turn around and face her again. It only hurts a little with her roughness. “Betty- I honestly have no idea how to even say this. But I can see that.. that you’re hurting. And if I was in your place I’d want someone to see it too.”

  
Her green eyes pierce into Cheryl’s brown ones with an anger that sparks between them. How dare she? _She doesn’t even know anything about me, she doesn’t care about me. Who does she think she is?_

  
“Between your parents divorce and your breakup with that hobo Jughead which yes, I know _nothing_ about. Plus your siblings aren’t home and you’re cosying up with _Archie_? It looks like you could use some help, so if you need any..” Cheryl keeps on rambling.

  
“You know Cheryl- you have played so many games it’s hard to even know when you’re being genuine or just telling a really good lie anymore. And if you are being genuine, you’re doing a really bad job at it.”

  
She stands still so that Cheryl can move away first, but she doesn’t. Instead her brown eyes are filled with something so unusual Betty is almost thinking she could actually be trying to reach out, but before they can say anything else their intense stare off is interrupted by Jason who comes and curves his arm around Cheryl’s shoulders.

  
“Come on, Cheryl” he says, and he looks handsome in a suit that matches with Cheryl’s dress in colour. “Mummy and daddy are calling us inside. Good evening Betty”

  
Betty gives Jason something that’s barely a smile as he stalks off with Cheryl, and turns around to find Archie looking for her. “Is everything okay?” He asks.

  
“Just normal Cheryl stuff” she says as they make it inside the vast reception room.

 

  
The dinner part of the evening is unexpectedly boring. Archie didn’t know that none of the kids actually speak during dinner, just the adults droning on and on about the Blossom dynasty and all their business achievements amongst themselves. The teens, who are all just old enough to be at the adult table, sit at the very edge and whisper to each other while eating more than the adults do. Archie notices that even Cheryl and Jason, and the other unnamed teenagers, look even more uninterested as he and Betty are.

 

“So Betty.. how is it? All of this, are you feeling okay?” Archie moves closer to whisper to her as the speeches go on.

  
Betty looks shocked and troubled as always, but she gives him a segued answer. “I can’t even believe Cheryl was trying to be genuine and nice to me. I know all she wants is to make a fool of me. But you being here..” she sighs “is really the only thing that’s helping me.”

  
“You know you can always count on me” he really wants her to know that. And not in a way that she has to do _this_ to get his attention. He’s always been her friend.

  
Cheryl is picking the meat out of all the things they had served on her plate when she hears the two little misfits next to her whispering. She raises her head and tries to listen in subtly, but it’s cut short when Hal Cooper comes and drops a hand on Archie’s shoulder. “Hey, Archie. Can I have a word with you?”

  
Betty’s face is screaming _what? no! What does he have to talk to Archie about?_

  
“Uh sure, I’ll be back Betty” She’s left sitting there with no other familiar face but Cheryl’s smug one, red lips around the rim of her glass as she glances at her.

 

 

  
“I just wanted to say thank you for getting my Betty to come here with me today” Mr Cooper tells him, leading them away from the candle lit table where the flames are flickering in the shadows on the high walls. “I was worried that she wouldn’t make it.”

 

He knows what he’s talking about, but a part of Archie just wants to ask.. _why aren’t you saying this to Betty? Maybe that’s why she’s so high strung and wounded._ “It’s not a problem Mr Cooper. Betty’s my friend, and.. she was the one that invited me to come here anyway”

 

“I have to be honest with you. Betty’s always been the pride and joy of our family.. but ever since what happened between her mother and I, I’m- scared. Honestly.”

  
“Scared?” Archie’s brows furrow in confusion.

  
“Even in the short time that I’ve spent with her this evening she’s been behaving erratically. She almost sounds like her mother. And having you by her side, I see that your stock and character is wearing off on her.” He pauses and finally meets Archie’s eyes. It’s so weird, like he’s known this man his whole life but now all he can see is the person that cheated on his wife and broke their whole family apart, at least that’s what Betty tells him. “I’m really hoping that you can stick by her. And make her better. You’ll do that, won’t you?”

 

He feels like there’s a million things going on right now and he can’t even fully comprehend what Hal Cooper is actually telling him, especially not when the loud, flirtatious voice of Cheryl Blossom sounds near them, addressing both men.

  
“Excuse me, Mr Cooper. May I have this first dance with Archie?” She doesn’t wait for a reply, to pull Archie’s unwilling hand across the dance floor with her until they’re far enough away that anything she says won’t be heard by the table.

  
Archie looks back and Hal is finding his seat back at the table, Betty’s eyes searching for him as he feels Cheryl snap him closer to her to focus. Whatever she’s doing, he knows it’ll cause trouble. Cheryl has been trying to terrorise them since they were kids. “Betty keeps trying to avoid me, so I’ll have to say this to you.”

  
“As long as it’s coming from you, Cheryl whatever it is she doesn’t want to hear it.”

  
“Yes but she _should_. Because this time I’m actually trying to do something nice. Betty is a time bomb waiting to explode, I’m sure of it. She went through something horrible and I don’t want to be just a bitchy mean girl anymore.”

  
“How can I know you’re being honest? And why would you be?”

  
Their steps slowed to a stop and Cheryl’s hand dropped Archie’s, her jaw clenching up like stone. He can see the fury in her eyes, in the middle of the aura of power and sophistication they’re in. “Is it _really_ so hard to believe that I’m trying to do something nice for someone?”

 

“Yeah, pretty much” he’s for once not afraid that Cheryl would do anything to him since they’re in the middle of a ballroom dance, but then the sound of Betty’s defiant voice arguing with her father about something distracts him to move away from Cheryl.

 

 _Well then,_ she fumes as soon as Archie has the audacity to leave her in the middle of the dance floor. _Why **did** I even bother about that stupid girl? They still blow me off even when I try to reach out. That’s it._

 

 

 

 

  
“Betty!” He finds her sitting alone by the indoor pool of the lodge, and it’s slightly stuffy in here compared to the ballroom. “You okay?”

 

“What did my dad say to you?” She demands. He sits down right next to her on the second step and she doesn’t mind that her dress will get wrinkled by being there, that’s just who she is. “That I’m going crazy like my mom?” When Archie doesn’t answer she knows that it’s true. “Before, people knew who I was. And sure, not everybody loved me. But at least they accepted me. Now.. god I don’t even know who to turn to anymore”

 

“Hey hey hey, I’m here. Don’t cry, I’m here” her face isn’t crumpled so painfully anymore, at least not when Archie holds it, but her tears are still spilling out a mile a minute.

 

Just the thought of being here makes her sick to her stomach, it really does. The way everything seems to be spinning out of control and how so fast, everything good in her life was just.. gone. Betty tries to think of a happy day. Some day when she had it all, and the first memory that comes to her is when they were fifteen. It was warm out even for a winter night, and her knees were shaking in anticipation when she sat waiting on the edge of her bed. She remembers the way her mother was knocking on the door, telling her to not be out too late, and her father told her how beautiful she looked. Polly was there, she helped Betty get ready and she did her hair and she remembers it all so well, like it’s happening right now.

 

“When my dad left” her voice sounds breathless. Like the dam that had been holding it all together finally broke loose, and she’s shivering from the clarity. “That’s when _everything_ changed. Jughead left too-“

  
“He didn’t _want to,_ Betty” Archie tries to assure her.

  
“But it still _happened_.”

  
And like that same night, it starts to get really cold. That night when she had her first kiss, and it was perfect and flawless and the room was spinning round and round. When she got home, laid in her bed thinking _Jughead, he’s the one for me._

 

“What happened Archie?”

 

  
“I don’t know” he keeps his eyes locked on hers, and their knees are so close to each other they almost touch. Her heart feels so heavy and weighed down in her chest, like it’s just fallen down and no one is ever gonna pick it up again.

 

“Have you ever felt like everything in the world is forcing you to shatter?”

 

“Betty” he isn’t sure how to answer any of the questions she’s asking him- at all. And he doesn’t really want to try, either. “Everyone else might have left. But I’m never gonna leave you. I promise you.”

 

They sit there and time sits as still as the water in front of them, motionless, not up and not down and just.. there. Just existing together in the same space. Unbeknownst to them of the other presence there, Cheryl Blossom, watching both of them and wondering; falling deeper or still _just friends?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

** Veronica **

 

  

  
The evening begins because of a call from one Cheryl Blossom claiming she needs a getaway to blow off the stress that’s been caking on her skin all evening. Veronica is enthusiastic and fast to agree, already bouncing off the couch and disappearing into her closet to start getting ready. Cheryl adds her and Reggie in a mass text with just them, Jason, Chuck and Josie; and announces their plans for the evening. Everyone is game so they agree to meet up outside The Pembrooke at 10. The Blossom twins are leaving straight from their family dinner as soon as it’s over.

 

Veronica doesn’t take long to get ready. She’s been dying to put on this black dress since she got it online, and is fervently thrilled with how her body looks in it. She replaces her string of pearls for a black tie choker instead, and heats her hair into loose curls. With a spritz of Chanel No. 5 and her tallest red heels, she’s got herself looking and feeling wild, ready to get crazy, unafraid of anything.

 

She tries to sneak into the foyer silently but is unsuccessful, since both her parents are sitting there with glasses of wine and tapping away on their respective devices. The shadow of Reggie’s body is looming from the doorway, where he’s beckoning for her to come over; but her mother addresses her before she can flee.

 

“Now where do you think you’re going, Veronica?” She places her phone down and takes one long look at her daughter’s attire, the mid - thigh hem feeling a lot higher to Veronica with her mother’s judging eyes on her. “And _don’t_ say clubbing, it’s Sunday night!”

 

“Actually mother that’s exactly where I’m going” Veronica sighs, taking a seat and toying with the strap of her purse. “You asked me to discover Riverdale. I’m doing that. Besides, daddy already said I could go. Right?”

 

She turns her cunning, fluttery eyes on her father. Who’s looking at her with a penetrating anger, she can feel it, but it’s also ten times more satisfying when he can’t deny her and she gets up and waves at them. “Ta ta now, my friends are waiting. Oh, and don’t bother waiting up.”

  
She blows them one last farewell kiss, triumphing at their stumped expressions, disappearing into the foyer and grabbing Reggie’s hand with her. She pulls him into the elevator and they run out of The Pembrooke together, laughing uncontrollably all the way. With his hand in hers, and the buzz of the night ahead settling into her skin everything feels like it’s about to be perfect. This might be the best day she’s had in Riverdale.

 

Chuck and Josie show up together looking fabulous as ever, Cheryl and Jason shortly after. Jason is still wearing his suit from the dinner, sans jacket and tie, loosing the top three buttons. Cheryl is telling them all about how she ripped half off her gown’s skirt off on the car ride there while they’re sitting in the train, giggling and adding on to her story. Veronica hasn’t had any alcohol yet but she already feels alive, the train is playing a hit pop tune and all she wants to do is dance. The seats are sparsely filled, but she ignores all the strangers’ stares and starts moving her body in the middle of the walkway.

  
At first, all of them cheer in amusement, and she takes some time to find her beat while also building confidence, getting used to the environment. And she looks so damn good, everyone keeps their attention on her. Soon she’s pulled Josie with her to start dancing too, and their movements get looser, flirtatious as the song switches. She grabs one of the cool metal poles in her palm and swings around it, halting when her heel comes in contact with Reggie’s shoe.

  
He’s sitting on the seat looking up at her, hands quickly coming to find hers as she stops and smiles at him. “You’re crazy, you know that?”

 

Veronica shrugs, unapologetically. She makes him take a picture of them girls before the train reaches downtown.

 

The club that Josie had recommended is off campus from a local college, and they all have to muster up mature looking faces but in the end the bouncer doesn’t hesitate to let them inside. Veronica guesses this place isn’t too unfamiliar with pesky high school kids like themselves looking for fun. Music is blasting from speakers hidden in the walls, and it was booming against every inch of the club. College students were on the dance floor with their friends, drinks were being swiped off the bar, cigarettes and joints were being lit, and bodies intertwined.

  
“Josie, this club is awesome!”

  
Veronica was more used to closely guarded doors, from the velvet rope-blocked thresholds of the nightclubs to the elite gates of New York City’s private high school. She’s danced on the floors of Parlor and Norwood, all out of being a regular and recognised for the reputation of her wealthy family. Sometimes she’d even get into the most exclusive of clubs like The Metropolitan, just her and her closest friends with the most powerful parents. A public night club like this with country college kids isn’t the best thing by far, but she’s missed being in the atmosphere for so long- and for a public nightclub it isn’t half bad.

 

“You better have a good time” she winked, dancing away towards the bar with her hips swivelling. “Both of you.”

 

Jason and Cheryl have been talking to each other since they got here, but they seem to be enjoying themselves. Veronica decided to take a break, she’s tried dancing in the middle of the floor, just moving her body naturally to the beat of the music and her own beat. Reggie came pushing past people to her with two shot glasses in his hand, she downed it as soon as he gave it to her. The familiar sting from strong alcohol indicates Reggie got their usual, what he usually gets when they’re looking to go full throttle for the night. Her eyes prick with tears as she shoves the glass back at him and shakes her hair out, blinking away. Her head is thudding and it’s feeling good.

 

Veronica’s stomach knotted up when she saw the two red haired twins still deep in conversation, so she wondered over and slung her arms around both of them. “Why don’t I get us some drinks, huh?” She suggested, guessing that whatever family turmoils they were having needed to be erased by some liquor and dancing.

  
Jason looked at Veronica’s hazy eyes and lazy smile, a bit taken aback. “What do you think we should drink?”

  
“Come come, friends. Veronica Lodge has just the poison for any of your needs.”

 

 

 

  
Thirty minutes later the three of them were banging shot glasses on the bar counter, laughing gleefully after each one and calling for more until they were sure a hefty bill had been racked up. Not that they cared, between them, they had more than enough money to worry about something that trivial.

“Hey, what happened to the dancing queen?” She felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist from behind and Chuck’s voice in loud in her ear. He moved away quickly and sat on the stool next to her. “We missed you out there.”

  
“I was just entertaining these troubled youths, and hey you guys have some pretty fucked up stories” she smiled into her glass, remembering them tell her about one of their uncles losing all his money in one game of poker.

  
She looked up just as Reggie and Josie came stumbling back to join them, faces sweaty and eyes crinkling with laughter. Chuck leaned across the bar to help himself to one of the shots on their tray, but Cheryl swatted his hand away and pulled them closer to her. “All mine” she pouted, making them laugh.

  
“Ugh, do you wanna know the other thing that pissed me off?” Cheryl went again, continuing her tone of annoyance. “Cousin Betty. She showed up with that chatter head Archie and I swear, there’s something going on with those two.”

  
“Since when do _you_ care about _Archie_?” Josie asked quizzically.

 

“I don’t. But you know me, and I just can’t leave it alone. They’re going to homecoming together for god’s sake!”

  
“Wait- Andrews is going with Betty Cooper to the dance?” Chuck blinked.

  
“Yes. Ginger told us” she rolled her eyes. “I mean it’s so messed up, there’s no way I’m gonna let those two losers anywhere near our homecoming crowns”

  
Josie gasped softly, and Jason grunted “Could that really happen?”

  
Cheryl nodded, her head heavy. Homecoming court was a big deal to al of them, especially since this would be their last year in high school. She wasn’t in the mood to be letting her half cousin, half mortal enemy be crowned just because of the date that’s on her arm. “It isn’t that much of a stretch. Archie is the quarterback, and Betty.. she actually has great grades. I’m not sure who would vote for them but hey crazier things have happened!”

  
Reggie controlled a snicker at Cheryl’s drunken crankiness as Veronica put her hand over hers. “Hey. Forget about it, okay? You guys think _those two_ can win? That’s so not gonna happen. It can’t”

 

“How can you be so sure?” The music sounds softer and their voices become easier to be heard now, somehow.

  
Veronica shrugs. “Because. I mean if you guys really don’t want Betty and Archie to win, I can make _sure_ it doesn’t happen.”

  
Nine times out of ten, when Veronica Lodge makes a promise she never breaks it. And from the hopeful look on Cheryl’s face, and the more composed faces of the others; this had to be one of those times.

  
Reggie slung his arm around Josie and Veronica. He grinned. “Come on guys. More shots on me? I’ve got money that’s burning a damn hole in my pocket”

 

 

 

Halfway through the night, as the three girls were twirling around each other to The Weekend’s “Starboy”, and everything was starting to appear sideways. She kept her hand gripped tightly with Cheryl’s, raven hair swinging back and forth with her motion, she’s been dancing and drinking for so long that it hurts. She kept catching eyes with Reggie from across the room. He watched as she bounced easily to the beat of the song, the same little dance she’s done since eighth grade, a little smile on both of their lips.

  
The song ends as Josie is stumbling backwards and lands on Veronica, but she can’t hold her so she passes her to Chuck, laughing breathlessly. Cheryl has another tray of shots for them and Josie is the first to reach for one, but Veronica can tell just by the look in her eyes that another drop of alcohol would be Josie’s undoing, so she swipes the glass out of her hand swiftly.

  
Thinking fast and not much at all, she tips the glass back and is greeted by the warm, stinging sensation trickling down her throat and settling in her stomach with gnarly waves. Her skin already feels like it’s been burning all night long, the fire within scorching out from her soul. “Not to cry _privileged_ right now, but this might be one of the best things about being a rich kid”

  
“I think we can all toast to that” Jason agrees, raising his glass to the five of them and swinging back and cheering.

  
Another song starts and she’s spinning around, smoke coming from her lips, parted in the widest smile she’s worn since the day her parents told her she’d be moving to Riverdale. All the sensations in her body are making it feel like everything’s alright, everything’s _perfect... god I missed doing this._

 

Somewhere between one of them going to get more drinks from the bar and the other girls disappearing to a bathroom, Veronica finds herself locking eyes with Reggie again from across the room. She has no idea what he’s doing all the way over there, when he should be here with her. She starts walking, barely, as steadily as possible to the dark glittery corner where he’s sitting and it’s taking every ounce of focus to not lose track of herself.

  
Veronica felt the rhythm of the song pumping through her veins, dancing the last few inches before dropping herself on the bench next to him. “Why have you been looking at me all night?”

  
Her little voice is shouting at him, not realising that with how close they are the blaring music only becomes background noise. He crinkles his nose at her. “Why do you think I’ve been looking at you all night?”

  
“We didn’t dance together” she shrugged innocently.

  
“Yeah.. you were doing that with everyone else. I didn’t get a chance”

  
Despite the alcohol haze and the spinning feeling at the top of her head, all bodies blurring into a mass mixture of moving colours in her eyes, her bleary eyes still manage to look up at him and roll backwards teasingly. She watched as his eyes locked onto hers, felt his hands push the sweaty hair in her face away and bring his face down to hers. When their lips met, pressing together softly, punctuated by the background sound of the bench squeaking beneath their weight, Veronica felt a rush of confusion and flabbergasted shock sweep all over her body in goosebumps.

  
“Wh- are you kissing me?”

  
She pulls back and then they’re frozen, his body bowed towards hers, and her obviously confused eyes just inches from his.

  
He doesn’t say anything. And it confuses her even more. Suddenly Veronica just feels very sober, but she realises she doesn’t have to be. They’re drunk, and young, and it’s just a kiss right? It’ll be over in the morning? She’s willing to take the risk but while her face is moving closer to his, the thoughts in her mind are a jumbled mess about wether or not this is going to be something they can just forget about. She and Reggie aren’t just classmates, or friends that meet occasionally, they’re best friends. They practically live right next to each other.

  
Veronica put her hands on his face and connected their lips again, so fast and firmly that he wondered wether she was trying to forget about something when she did that. It was his turn to pull away, this time both of their emotions questioned to a tenfold.

  
She had one hand in his hair and he had one hand on her cheek, just staring at each other. Acknowledging the unspoken air of question, she nodded slowly and that was all he needed to kiss her again, the last thing she remembered before they were all stalking out of the club into the chilly midnight air together.

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

Chuck and Josie are leading them to some spot they apparently know, but Veronica feels like they’re just going in circles. It’s so cold out, her hands are locked tightly in Cheryl and Jason’s, clutching her fur coat to her body. She hasn’t been this drunk in so long, the high is starting to wear off and all she wants to do is collapse.

  
She can hear distant sounds of the others talking. Reggie is hanging back, dark stormy clouds looming above his head as he stares long at the back of Veronica’s head. Her long black hair, falling all around her shoulders. Just as he was getting into the kiss, hands lingering down her neck, she’d bolted to the nearest bathroom to throw up all the contents of alcohol and whatever else she’d had that night. That’s when it hit him that she’s not _thinking clearly_ , and he doesn’t want to do that.

  
If it was anyone else, her enthusiasm would’ve been enough for him to take it and run, but with Veronica he just.. _can’t_. And it’s confusing the hell out of him. The worst part is he thinks she doesn’t even remember anything that happened.

  
“Cher? Cher are you okay- oh my god” the over satiated girl pushed both Jason and Veronica out of the way and bent her body, gagging once and spilling everything on the sidewalk.

  
“I’m fine” she panted, pushing her wild red hair back and wiping her mouth unabashedly. The rest of them grimaced, he caught sight of Veronica pinching her nose until they were away from the smell and hid a smile.

  
Eventually they find themselves up the little hill leading to what looks like an abandoned fun fair, eery in the silence of the night and almost creepy, the marks of innocence and happiness mocking them. There’s half broken down popcorn stands, some bouncy balls of bright colours scattered around, and a ferris wheel that would’ve caused brutal death if anyone attempted to ride on it. Chuck tells them all about how he discovered this place when he was with his brother as kids, when they used to take the train downtown with their parents and how upset they were when it finally closed down. It smells like sweet concessions out here, Veronica takes a whiff of the air and revels in it. Being here, just them, it feels so _free_.

  
“Check this out guys, right here” Chuck is calling to them, Cheryl and Veronica having lost themselves spinning around and tripping over each other in the grass, laughs making tears reach their eyes.

  
Opening up behind a forestry entrance, there’s a lever that he pulls and suddenly the sound of classic circus music is filling their ears in the space around them. The grass and trees illuminate, the source of light coming from the huge, antique looking carousel. All of them are in awe. The roof of it is a golden dome with intricate grand drawings, and every seat is a different kind of majestic horse with vibrant colours and glittering bodies.

 

Veronica practically squeals. She jumps up on the moving carousel right away, pulling Cheryl with her who’s stuck still admiring the view. Chuck grins proudly and him and Josie go up too, and eventually all of them are running to find their favourite horse and claiming it as their own. There’s so much gleeful laughter, and cheerful arguing over who should sit where, the music around them only delighting them further.

  
“Wow!”

 

“This is crazy!”

  
“I want this one!”

 

Reggie finds himself leaning back in one of the double seaters, watching amusedly as Veronica spun herself around the pole with life in her eyes. He notices Josie sit down on Chuck’s lap and the two share a longing kiss, something sweet and unnoticed by the rest of the gang in the midst of the craze. Chuck walks over to Reggie and plops himself down next to him, smiling at Josie who’s reaching behind her to hold hands with Veronica.

 

“Love is in the air, dude” he sighs, contentedly.

  
“What‘s that smile for?”

  
He has this look on his face, like other than what’s happening right now, something big has just happened that’s made him the happiest boy in the world. “I asked Josie to be my girlfriend. Officially” he revealed.

  
“Wow- congratulations man. Do Cheryl and Jason know?”

  
“Not yet” his smile eases a bit, looking more relaxed than ever as the ride keeps spinning them around and around the whole night long. “My dad will probably be my dad and talk me out of it, both of our parents will. We’re going to completely different states and all next year but for now..”

  
“For now you’re together” Reggie finishes. “So enjoy it”

  
“Thank you. You know I’m really glad you’re here” he pauses for a moment and looks at Veronica, her head thrown back in the wind. “I’m glad you and Veronica are both here. We’re all happy to have you guys”

 

 

 

 

  
Veronica is dizzy with all of this. She’s done a lot of things in her life, been a lot of places, and life has always been good and bad and messy and fun, but for some reason she’s never felt like this. She’s never felt such a high as she is with all of them right now, and it isn’t just the alcohol or the weed. Her whole body is responding, she feels like she’s flying, with the wind fighting against her skin and the whizz of greenery as she passes it by. It feels like her heart is breaking loose of all those tough contention knots and she finally doesn’t have to think anymore.

  
_I’d sell my soul to feel like this forever._ It’s only when she opens her eyes and they land on Reggie first, his dark gaze watching her intently. That she decides to flow with the feeling and where it’s taking her, and her vision has been blurring at the edges all night long but especially now. She beckons to him with her finger and he walks over, standing so that his chest is just brushing against her back.

  
“You don’t look like you’re having much fun” she pouted, shaking her hair back at him until he chuckles.

  
He lowers his lips and it brushes across the shell of her ear, and suddenly all she can think about is his arms pressed against hers, their breath mixing together.

  
“You always make things fun”

  
“Hmm I do, don’t I?”

  
She wanted to make it more fun. She laughed and let him spin her around so she’s facing him, and she felt- for a beautiful moment, like the Veronica she always used to be- happy and bold and charismatic. Looking into his eyes she saw all of the parts of herself that were in him too, the history and patience and caring for each other, and tentatively she pulled his neck close to her until she could place her lips on his. The world around them kept spinning, and while she doesn’t have a clue what any of this means her head is dizzy with every single feeling in that special, sparkling moment.

 

 _tbc_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trust me guys, I HAVE A PLAN !! THIS IS PART OF THE PLAN !! Okay I’m rly sorry goodbye.


	6. Chapter 5 : Forever

_**Chapter 5 : Forever**_

_you will never see my side_  
  
_and I will always think I’m right._

 

 

 

 

 

Veronica makes it back into the apartment at some ungodly hour of the morning. It’s freezing cold, and her legs are like jello in the unheated foyer of their spanking, brand new home. She just stands there for a while, in the possibly zero degree temperature, her bare legs shaking with shivers and her vision disappearing. Getting drunk and high is fun while it lasts, she thinks belatedly, running her fingers across her scalp to ease the headache.

 

Until she takes her high heels off and finally reaches for her family’s apartment door Reggie doesn’t do anything but wallow in his silence.

 

“Veronica” her fingers fall from the brass knob with an exhale of breath. Some part of her has always been waiting for him, even if she never knew it. “Do you regret tonight?”

  
His voice is so hopeful, and his heart feels so scared, like the girl standing in front of him holds all the power to change how he feels at any time she wants. But then her pretty, unfocused face breaks into a _charismatic_ smile and she has one hand on the brass knob, the other reaching out for him. “Why would I regret tonight?”

  
“Well- okay then” he takes one hand out of his pockets to clasp with hers while she’s giggling, unconsciously backing against the door.

  
The moment itself doesn’t feel like it’ll last long, like it’ll build into anything. It doesn’t feel real and it doesn’t feel like one of those moment that build up into an empire of something powerful. In fact, it doesn’t feel like anything at all; if not perfect.

 

“I should get to bed, my parents would die and then kill me if they saw me in yours” but he’s still holding her hand, inching the opposite way to his family’s apartment door.

  
“Goodness, Reginald! What makes you think you think you’re getting into my bed?” She sounds positively scandalised, that it makes them laugh and laugh and grow further from the doors and closer to the middle.

  
“Gah, I don’t know. Part of me assumed.” With her high heels off, she’s so much shorter than him and Reggie thinks it’s good because he can see every part of her that’s pink with the energy and blood in her veins, from dancing, from being wild and crazy, and maybe a bit of this.

 

Veronica reaches up and knocks her knuckles against the hard pane of his forehead and shakes her head, fondly. “You’re crazy, you know that. Good night, Reginald”

 

He steals a glance at her opening the door as quietly as possible, and catches her eyes for a split second shielded by strands of her hair just as the door shuts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He’s right. In the morning, she’s confirming all his underlying fears and making them gradually bigger, spreading in his chest like wildflowers blooming all at once. It worries him, seven in the morning standing in his socks in front of her at their breakfast table. It’s _her_ family’s breakfast table, but they’ve started to share things now. When he asks her in the most muted, tender voice possible (because their parents are still around giving off bad vibrations mad about last night) “so what do we do now, Veronica?”

 

“Go to school” she replies, sipping her coffee. They’re both donning huge dark shades to conceal the hangover.

  
“No I mean the other thing” maybe it’s his fault for wanting closure so quickly from a girl like Veronica Lodge, he knows what she’s like after all, but can he be blamed for feeling crushed?

  
Veronica sighs through her mouth, cheeks puffing out a little bit exhaustedly. She turns her body away to turn away from the subject, and props the Gucci higher up the her nose. “Let’s not talk now, okay? It’s not a good time”

  
“So when is?”

  
“Why are you being so pushy?” Her tone is demanding, but she’s begging for him to go away. What happened last night feels exactly like the hangover does, borne from something exhilarating and now crumbling apart. “Stop.”

  
_This is exactly the thing I didn’t want to happen,_ both of them are thinking as they grab their bags and bound down to the lobby. Reggie hangs back but quickly starts jogging when Veronica reaches the car first, not wanting her to wait, and Veronica just sits there feeling like complete shit with herself.

 

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

  
Tuesday of that week is just as trivial as Monday, but things start getting interesting on Wednesday with the talk of Chuck and Josie’s coming together had come out. Everyone is talking about Chuck and Josie, and Jason had leaned over the science table to whisper to the couple “you guys had better tell your parents as soon as possible, people are going to spread it further than the school grounds any time.”

  
“I know” Josie looked from her textbook to their project and up at the board to avoid making eye contact. “I have no idea what my parents will say.”

  
“If it goes badly you can always come talk to us, and you know everyone else is totally in support of this new relationship” Veronica assures, peering at Jason’s notebook to see his sketch.

  
“Thanks Veronica” Josie smiles at her gratefully. “I’m gonna need it”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Their last period on Friday is Mr Atticus’ Lit class, but it isn’t a rare occasion that teachers don’t come into the last class on Friday. They’re all busy buzzing about the homecoming dance later that evening anyway, someone heard there’d be a chocolate fountain and some of the boys are planning to spike the punch, while the girls argue that if they are they’d better be smart about which brand tastes best. Veronica and some of the other Vixens are busy talking amongst each other about their dresses, when Cheryl approaches the front row of tables with a stack of dusted grey envelopes in her dainty hand.

 

“What’s this?” Veronica wonders, receiving a judgemental look from just about everyone in her vicinity.

  
“Relax guys, V is new here remember?” Cheryl addresses the rest of the class before placing one of the envelopes onto Veronica’s desk, her eyes following it. “These are invitations. To our after party tonight at Thornhill. Help me pass them out, JJ?”

  
Jason is jumping to take some of the invitations from Cheryl as Veronica opens hers up and sees the black inky sprawl of her name across it. “As always, we’re being exclusive with the guest list to make sure no loser underclassmen sneak in. But you guys are allowed to bring one date, if you want”

  
Archie is sitting three rows away from Veronica, who had gotten the first envelope and then Josie, Ginger and Jack one of the Bulldogs. He holds his breath while Cheryl passes him, heading to the next row where Betty and Kevin are sitting. Archie turns around to see wether they got one when Jason’s strong hand is on his back and shoving an invitation into his hands. “There you go Andrews” he winks “Just one date, okay?”

 

Archie chuckles. He isn’t surprised to have gotten an invitation, in fact he was expecting one. But it’s still a big deal, proven as everyone starts peering at each other’s tables to see who got invited and who didn’t.

  
“Oh sorry” he turns around when he hears Cheryl say, just stopping at the last row of tables which were Betty and Kevin’s. “Maybe next year- oh wait.. right there is no next year.”

 

Betty can feel her face flushing when people start looking at her, she wishes Cheryl would just leave it alone and move on. But it seems like ever since she blew off her extension of an olive branch at the Blossom dinner, all week she’s been extra flamboyant and torturous, if that could even be possible. She keeps her gaze low on the binder in her lap hoping that Cheryl will just go away. Tough luck. “But I mean, she doesn’t really need an invitation does she? Betty will be coming with Archie tonight, won’t you?”

 

“If only” Veronica says, glancing at Betty before looking to Archie. “I mean, Betty is a professional prude so there is that to consider.. he wouldn’t know what to do with her”

 

The rest of the class couldn’t help but laugh, making Betty’s face even redder and earning Veronica a death glare from Archie. She didn’t care though, giggling before adding, “Oh don’t worry sweetie.. I’m sure it doesn’t take _much_ to turn Archie on”

  
“Shut up Veronica” Archie snaps. Kevin is stifling a laugh into his book to make sure Betty doesn’t see, who’s gnawing on her bottom lip like her life depended on it.

  
Their moment of amusement is interrupted by the sound of Mr Atticus’ heavy boots and his palm hitting the door as he enters, signalling his arrival to the class. Cheryl slips into the seat next to Veronica quickly, the two sharing a side smile of approval at each other. She turns her attention back to their professor talking up front, but she can feel Archie’s gaze like a hot iron burning holes into the back of her raven head.

  
Mr Atticus drones on about them being careful tonight and he assigns additional homework for the weekend, which they half heartedly just accept, too excited and distracted by the light of events coming. While the rest of them are acting like it’s a New York City society gala, Reggie is slumming in his sour mood at the back of the class. Watching Veronica skirt around him all week, acting like what happened never happened, has been getting to him and he doesn’t want to admit it. It’s not just the kiss. Or the second kiss. It’s the hug in their foyer when she told him she didn’t regret the night, when he felt himself slip away under her playful eyes. He hears Mr Atticus say something about the reading project, which he’s halfway done with anyway. Jason is a good partner and a smart kid, and they like spending time together anyway.

  
“And what about the rest of you? Going well I hope?”

  
“Of course” Veronica replies, the smile on her lips perfectly delectable. She manoeuvres herself slightly to look at her partner, winking at him as she smirks. “It’s going perfect. Right, _Archiekins_?”

 

Sure enough, she’d caught him staring at her again. He’s been doing it because he’s mad about what she said to Betty, but it doesn’t make any difference as he quickly diverts his gaze. “Uhm, yeah. Sure.” And then he’s looking out the window into the sky to ease his anger about this girl that keeps stirring up trouble and insulting his friends. Thinking of her only makes him realise he’s still imagining the look she gave him just a second ago as he shifts awkwardly in his seat. He wants to pull her lip out from her teeth and kiss away the indentation she’s made, he wants to run his hands through her silky hair and keep listening to her voice, and just like that he’s back to that place. _Damn it._

 

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

  
“Is there anything wrong, Coach?”

 

“You tell me kid” Archie already feels nervous with just those words. He always gets weird tension knots in his back whenever Coach Clayton starts one of his double meaning, back handed - insults pep talks and this is beginning to feel just like one.

  
He slumps not so visibly in the seat and tries to muster up a blank face. “Moose here” he pats his hand down on the tall burly boy next to Archie, who grins on cue. “Has his acceptance letter to Notre Dame. So that makes me wonder.. if you have yours”

  
_Right_. The damn letter that’s still sitting under the pile of bills on the living room table, and in his mind, it’s piled on by other things of much more importance to Archie. He knew avoiding to open it for too long would eventually have consequences, but he didn’t expect it to be this. _How could you be so stupid_ , he sighs to himself. Archie drums his fingers on the arm of his chair while Coach Clayton waits for an answer.

  
“Well?”

  
“No” he blurts out. With no real meaning.

  
“No.. what? No letter? Or no acceptance?”

  
Archie gulps. “Uh no letter Coach” he shrugs to make it seem more casual. “But it’s only Fall. Maybe they just haven’t sent all the letters out yet”

  
He asks himself why he bothered adding those extra sentences, but it occurs to him that the sharp kink in Coach Clayton’s brow is a visual representation of exactly everyone he would let down if he _didn’t_ get that letter. He’s not a fool. It’s pretty obvious what contents that letter holds, and maybe _that’s_ what he’s so scared of. Football takes you to college. College takes you to business school, and owning Andrews Construction. It’s everything that’s been laid out for his life. Only now _football, college, business school_ doesn’t sound like anything he wants to do. The three words keep looping in his head like a mantra.

 

Thankfully Coach Clayton buys his little lie, and then proceeds to send him off with a pat on the back and reassuring words that the letter will come, _you’re the best player on our team._

 

“Dude” Moose says, bringing him back his bearings. “I’ll see you later at the dance?”

  
“Um. Yeah, sure” he starts walking away from his friend like an idiot, heading the far way out to the entrance just so he doesn’t have to pass Coach’s office again. The halls of Riverdale High are lined with pictures of their successful alumni, some more famous than others. It doesn’t really take much to get on the wall, since it doesn’t take much to be considered ‘successful’ in Riverdale.

  
He passes his father’s photo on the corner next to Josie McCoy’s mom, the town mayor. All charming smile and kind eyes. What he wanted was to stay in Riverdale and play football and go out with his friends forever, but now that the opportunity to technically stay in Riverdale is sitting in his hands the first thing he wants to do is burn the letter and just hope no one finds out. _What do I want?_ The only thing he’s sure of right now is that he wants to visit his mom, but that’s a dream so far out of reach and prickled with problems that he can’t really consider it.

  
Everything is starting to become a pain in his head, so he walks faster in the flurry of the halls. There’s people leaning against the lockers and laughing together on the stairs and grouping up, and they’re all talking about the dance tonight. It’s practically buzzing through the school, everything about the dance. His best friends, Betty and Kevin, watch him as he passes them by. Reggie and Veronica and the rest of the Clique are accumulated by the student lounge, and it looks like Veronica is cupping his jaw and he’s listening to her. Archie heads straight for the doors.

 

 

 

 

  
“Totally. Totally try that one” Veronica agrees, nodding at something her and Josie are looking at on Cheryl’s phone. The last time Reggie paid attention, they were talking about makeup for tonight or something like that. He’s been paying very close attention to all of Veronica’s little body languages and the things she does when she feels a certain way, all which he’s grown familiar with over the years.

  
So far, all he’s gotten is half hearted answers and her cheerful demeanour distracting him to do other fun things, whenever he starts to bring up the topic of that night. He doesn’t want to feel like a hung up boy with a crush, but it is getting to him.

  
“I can’t wait to take our photos tonight. They’re gonna look so bomb” Josie says, beaming up at Chuck who comes around from behind her. The two share a loving kiss while Cheryl and Veronica make a face at each other, smiles hidden in their eyes.

 

“V, your parents are letting you borrow the limo to pick us all up right?” They’re all sitting in the student lounge and Jason shows up with a soda in hand, nodding his head at Veronica.

 

“Yup. Already got Andre on call for 7 pm. We’ll get you and Cheryl from Thornhill?”

  
“And I’ll drive Josie and I to your place” Chuck adds in, grinning with his entire face. It’s sickeningly sweet the way they act around each other now, and since everyone is busy talking about their relationship, they’ve been playing it up even more for enjoyment. “This is gonna be our last homecoming. And the best, now that I’m with you. All of you guys”

They’re all feeling the good vibrations too, in the cloud of Chuck and Josie’s giddiness and just the overall warmth that comes from having fun with the friends that at least for now, feels like are the best friends they’ll ever have. To everyone else, they might seem like just a group of rich, privileged teenagers who only stick together because they look down on everyone else, but they are real friends. Who stick together, and always protect each other.

  
Veronica reaches out for the strap of her pink Balenciaga on the table in front of them and Reggie catches her hand in just one second, fitting their fingers with each other while she looks up in surprise. “Hey V. You’re still going with me right?”

  
His voice sounds so hopeful, and the way his fingers are intertwining with hers is like butterflies that she can’t help but smile. And it’s the most genuine thing he’s seen on her face all week. They’re not sure wether it’s the easiness of that moment, or something in both of them had switched, but she does give him all he’s been hoping for when she uses the other hand to cup his chiseled jaw, and bring it closer to hers.

  
“Of course silly, who else would I go with?”

 

 

 

 

 

(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

  
The process of getting ready for the dance feels ten times shorter than it is, to Veronica. She spent hours on her hair and makeup and definitely underestimated how much time it would take her, since she always strives for perfection. There are a few minutes left when she checks her phone and sees that Chuck and Josie will be arriving soon. She fills up Fitz’s food and water bowl and makes sure there aren’t any windows open before fluffing his fur and loving on him with a kiss. Reggie is sitting on the bench in front of her bed when she finally exits the bathroom, all glittery dress and glowy skin.

 

“Look” Reggie looks up and holds out his phone to her. She swallows hard and moves to stand next to him, taking the phone from him as she stares down at the picture. Katie in a sleek teal gown with an overly large corsage on her wrist with another one of their old friends in his tux, both of them with brilliant smiles on their face and the backdrop of Spence School behind them... they look like they’re having the best life. “Their homecoming is today too.”

 

She pretty much stays silent, just staring at the next few slides of pictures from all their childhood friends. The month they’ve been away changing her perspective and allowing her to look at their old life, without them in it. They might not be in the centre of it anymore, but everything else hasn’t changed since they left and it feels odd to look at their photos and stories that reflect a Veronica that’s probably forever gone. The big white water fountain they always took group pictures in front of, with the bushes of white tulips that she used to run her fingers over and the familiar front hallway that used to be her old stomping grounds. The glass shelve display in the background of Katie’s videos, still crowded with Veronica’s cheer trophies and squad awards. The vibrating energy she gets from watching their homecoming game cheer, and the too familiar faces all smiling and laughing, without her.

 

“You look pretty” Reggie’s voice is a little unsteady like he sees her heart breaking from the outside. “It doesn’t really matter, we were gonna leave high school soon enough right?”

 

She laughs with a deep breath and shakes her head, turning to face the full length mirror. Reggie gets up to grab his jacket from the cold, empty living room since their parents are both out like they usually are. But Veronica stares silently into the mirror, lost in thought. When she looks at those pictures and how familiar it feels, something is wrong. That feels like my home... she realises that as the sounds of owls hooting and no bustling cars or construction noises fill her vicinity. Then she’s wishing like she’s dying, on every last shooting star while she blinks away tears that she’d have her old life back. _Its all I want._

 

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

The dance is in full force by the time Archie starts dancing in the middle of the gym floor, a song he doesn’t recognise but definitely likes. He’ll have to ask Betty for the playlist later. She’s proud of how her preparations are turning out, from the midnight blue hue ambience to the music and food and everybody enjoying themselves. It’s a lot more worth it when she sees Archie and Kevin like little kids on the dance floor, carefree and confident in all their movements. It makes her smile from the refreshments booth, smoothing down her pink dress as she does.

 

There’s a notification on her phone from Polly, who still checks in more than their mom does, asking if she’s having a good time. It’s not as fun as last year was, with Jughead there by her side at the refreshments table, whispering to each other until the night’s over. She misses having someone to not enjoy the party aspect of it just as much as she does, and to analyse all the drunk kids and how ridiculous they’re being. She sighs to herself, just like that I’m back to thinking about the person who’s as far away in distance as in heart.

 

Archie catches sight of the blonde girl sitting alone while he’s in the midst of another really good song, and takes every ounce of control in him to leave behind his friends who are laughing and dancing around him to move where she is.

  
“Hey. You don’t look like you’re having much fun”

  
“Not as much as you, for sure” Betty smiles, looking over his shoulder at some of the vixens who’s eyes are looking to find him. “You’re quite literally the life of the party”

  
“Well you put it together” he pours two drinks and holds one out to her. “We fit together, right?”

  
She’s thinking about what to say when Moose shouts out at the two of them, “Get back here, Andrews!” Archie looks tempted to join them again, but he feels bad about letting Betty sit alone here when she’s supposed to be his date. It’d only be kind to make his date’s night an enjoyable one. “Come on” he says, holding his hand out to her. “Come hang out with my friends and I. I promise they won’t mess with you.”

  
“I don’t care, Archie” Betty’s eyes are wide in surprise at his gesture, and they look ocean blue in the shading blue lights. “But that’s... not my scene”

  
“Come on, do it for me?” He grins at her with his boyish charm and she can’t really deny him, so the next thing they know he’s pulling her into the middle of the dance floor and everyone around them starts cheering something. She feels claustrophobic at first, especially when the three figures surrounding her are all 6 feet tall Bulldogs and there has to be about a dozen other people all circling them, it doesn’t feel enjoyable at all.

  
Betty squirms inwardly at all their wasted faces and how _out of control_ they’re acting, like dumb teenagers. She almost wrestles her way out of there but when Archie’s hand is fitted in hers she finds it somewhat, half tolerable. He looks like he’s at ease and she ends up smiling too, Youngblood playing and pumping in their veins. It all feels like the ending scene in a 90s teen movie, when the guy gets the girl and all is well. Except real life isn’t so simple.

 

“Arch- Arch. Ethel just texted me some kids from Greendale High are coming in without tickets. We have to check the entrance.”

 

 

 

 

 

  
“Come on dude. Just turn back around and go back to your school, unless your date has tickets?” Archie’s been held up and trying to convince these party crashers to turn back around with Betty and Ethel for close to ten minutes.

  
Betty, all crossed arms and strict expression doesn’t waver from her spot. “Thank you, finally” she sighs, as the small group of teenagers turn back around with some muttered curses.

  
Last year, some of the Southside High students had snuck in to enjoy some of Riverdale’s Northside perks, and it didn’t end so well in a ruckus. “Thanks for helping Archie. It’s really sweet of you.”

  
Archie shrugs, half ignoring the blush on Ethel’s cheeks when she talks to him. “I wouldn’t mind going back inside now, but we should probably make sure they don’t come back in a few minutes.” Before Archie can complain anymore though, there’s a noise in the hallway from the _Clique Six_ as Kevin has dubbed them arrive at the entrance amidst laughter, while Archie’s eyes move past everyone else until he sees Veronica.

  
_Holy shit_. There’s no other words for it. She’s wearing a black lace dress, haltered around her neck and going tight around her breasts and torso, flowing down into ruffles that end at the middle of her thighs, sans material on the entirety of her back. The dress is perfect for her, it sets with her flawless golden skin and with her hair wavy down her back and the jewels around her throat and earrings so long they almost brush her shoulders, she looks breathtaking. Her eyes meet his, and Archie feels himself immediately move in front of them.

  
“Welcome, ladies and gentlemen” Ethel greets. “Tickets please? Weatherbee acquires it, sorry”

  
They hold their tickets out and Ethel seems happy enough, Betty having moved aside to avoid another awkward situation. Archie is leaning against the banister as they start walking through, Veronica at the front of the line.

  
“Anything to declare?”

  
“I hate you” Veronica retorts, an easy smile on her lips as she moves past him into the gymnasium. Reggie Mantle’s arm locked in hers, and their hearts dropping a bit because it isn’t up to their par of expectations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The music draws Veronica back, and she’s dancing carefully around their little group when Josie grabs her hand and makes her dance together. She’s flushed with excitement and happiness. “This is so much fun!” She shouts over the music.

  
“It could be better. I’ll get us some drinks” Veronica yells back.

  
She leaves the group and heads to the refreshments, one of Gaga’s early hits blasting the speakers. It takes some time to finally get there with everybody dancing around her in the packed gym, and there’s a pleasantly alone Betty Cooper standing with the rest of her loser friends.

  
Veronica smiles. “Blondie, this party is awesome. Maybe I do really belong here”

 

“Thank you” She stuttered back. “Riverdale can.. surprise you”

  
The other two people there shift their weight awkwardly, not sure what to say. “You look good tonight. Do you think you look better than me?”

  
“Um..”

  
“What are you two doing still standing here? Get lost.” As soon as they leave Betty feels all nervous again, she wishes she’d taken Archie’s offer up of going back to the dance floor with him.

  
She starts pouring some different drinks together into a plastic cup to make her own concoction, trusting when Reggie had said he’d spiked each bowl differently. “You know, you and I could be friends. I’m sure we have something in common.”

  
“I- doubt it”

  
“I see the way Cheryl cares about you. And I know I’m new here... but I think if I give you the green light, _everyone_  would be turning their heads when you walk down the hall.”

  
“What are you talking about?” Betty asks, confused and a little worried.

  
“We’re a big group. But I’m sure there’s room for one more Vixen amongst us”  
Veronica has her hand planted on the table, drinking from her clear cup and exuding all this confidence that shouldn’t even come with the nature of a teenage girl.

  
“Congratulations.” Betty says. “You’re the new queen bee. And I know Cheryl. Thank you, but I like to pick my own friends.” The blonde girl makes her away from the table, moving off somewhere into the dark starry gymnasium while leaving a very skeptical, ego-bruised Veronica Lodge.

 

“Hey” Reggie’s booming voice comes from behind her and he stops at the table too, taking a swig of his flask. “Ooh I see you talking to blondie. What about?”

  
“Who cares?” Veronica replies flippantly “She’s a bitch.”

  
Reggie laughs at her bluntness, watching her watch the crowd. She isn’t in a good mood and the opportunity to have fun is right there. “Which reminds me. I have a mission to get on with. See you soon mi amor”

 

While she tries to be subtle about her plans, Archie’s eyes always find her in a room and right now they’re drawn to her standing with her finger pointed accusingly into Dilton Doiley’s skinny chest. She doesn’t look angry exactly, in fact her features are in complete ease. But Archie can see the fear in Dilton’s eyes to know whatever it is that’s happening is intense. Archie brushes it off. He has to stop thinking about her, and searching for her every second they’re in the same room.

  
“Arch! Archie!” Kevin is practically running up to him with laughing tears in his eyes, Moose following behind. The two look like a matching couple tonight and in that moment Archie feels happy to see them together. “Come on dude, they’re about to announce king and queen!”

 

It’s a tight ten minute time frame which Veronica provided for Dilton, but she’s sure of her convicting skills. He also pretends to drop the ballot and pick it back up before handing it to Principal Weatherbee just as Veronica asked, and that’s when she knows she’s won. Like always. Only this game was too easy to even begin with. Her nose is metaphorically high in the air by the time Weatherbee stands on that stage and for a split second she feels happy, suddenly.

  
Archie slips an arm around Betty’s shoulders just as she comes to stand next to him. “Hey you. Feeling okay?”

  
Betty nods and then takes a deep breath before grinning at Archie. “Of course. We we’re all looking for you, they’re announcing prom king and queen and what would they do if you’re not here?”

Archie chuckles and moves slightly closer to her. “You should be queen.”

  
The crowning happens so fast Archie doesn’t have time to be anxious about it. He’s still trying to catch his breath when the names just passed Weatherbee’s lips. _Veronica Lodge and Reginald Mantle._ The gasps are audible in the entire gymnasium. In fact it’s all anyone hears, some more impressed than surprised. Betty drops her hand from around Archie’s waist a little consciously.

  
“What? How is that possible?” Evelyn, Tina and Ginger keep asking each other.

  
“Oh, thank you _everyone_ ” Veronica is up on stage and the lights hit her so she looks like the only beautiful thing in the world, the jewels on her body glittering more than the crown. All of a sudden, she feels like maybe in the end she’s got _half_ of her happy ending. She might not be in Spence with her best friends but she is the queen of Riverdale High, and now next to Reggie she puts a hand on her hip and the two pose charmingly for the camera flashing at them.

  
Cheryl and the rest of their friends are clapping and cheering proudly for them, everyone else not so much. Archie is more dumbfounded by the fact this is a _homecoming_ dance and Veronica and Reggie didn’t even exist on the surface of Riverdale until one month ago. The whole night feels like it’s taken an uneven fall off an edgy slope and he landed very unsuspensefully.

 

Her high is still flowing freely and it’s like happiness is exploding in her brain even when the photographer is done with his photos. Reggie squeezes her waist tight and whispers that she’s beautiful, and the rest of the school is crowding around the stage to watch them celebrate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last slow dance song of the night is Forever Young by Alphaville, and Archie just knows he has to ask Veronica for this dance now while he can. He’s completely in belief that she rigged the voting ballot, which is an impressive thing to do in terms of her ambition but not quite classy and he’s surprised himself that she would do such a thing. It’s bad enough that she stole away one of his final high school moments, he should get to make his own moves too since she’s very obviously creating hers. He finds her walking with Cheryl and the two giggling like idiots, which he stops and prompts them to as well.

 

“Congratulations Veronica. Can I have this next dance with the queen?”

  
Her eyes dart to Cheryl’s quickly but they land back on his, astounded by his question and as she is a smart girl, most likely trying to figure out if there’s any second motives behind it. “Of course. I’ll see you, Cheryl?”

  
Their hands land in each others, and like something that was never supposed to happen but ends up happening, it feels like this was meant to happen after all. Archie puts his hands on her waist, grinning from his eyes until she puts her hands around his shoulders. He has no idea what the fuck this is, but all he can think is _holy shit_. I’m dancing with Veronica Lodge.

  
“So usually my dance partners aren’t as boring as you are. Maybe you should say something to me.”

  
“Happy to entertain you” he quips. “Why don’t you tell me what you would like to talk about?”

  
The rest of the couples are floating compared to them, and with every second that passes in the song Veronica imagines the rest of them disappearing. But they’re still there. “Like why you asked me to dance with you or.. I don’t know how wonderful this ambience is? Perhaps I should tell you from much experience that private school dances are much more enjoyable than public school ones.”

  
Archie is quiet, he’s listening to the words from her mouth but he doesn’t focus on them. All that’s existing between them right now is her lips so close to his face and the slow languid steps that carry them through each movement, the way her eyelashes flutter when she occasionally gazes up into his eyes and his fingers, that drum against her back.

  
“Mm, I didn’t realise Mr Chatterbox all of a sudden goes mute when he’s dancing”

  
Archie smiles, but only briefly. “How about you? Don’t you ever just like to sit back and let the universe and fate run it’s course?”

  
“No” Veronica admits, and the grin that grows on her lips is close to insanity. “No, I don’t enjoy using fate and the universe as excuses for being too lazy to work for what I want.” She watches Archie’s face grow hard at the implication. “That’s not a very good way to live is it.”

  
_I want to be forever young. I want to be forever young._ That’s what the lyrics are saying and that’s what Archie’s feeling, with all that he feels in his body right now from turmoil to amazement of the girl in front of him. He decides it’s not the time to get into too much tension.

 

“Tell me, are you and Reggie enjoying Riverdale so far?”

  
“So so” she replies, slipping a hand higher up to the nape of his neck and he doesn’t understand it. “It’s been nice to meet some new people. Others not so much.”

  
“The Blossoms are blessed with their charms, I’m not surprised they and the happy couple are the only people you’ve considered worthy enough to associate with.”

  
“Oh trust me I tried to make other friends, but some people just don’t see a good thing in front of them” Veronica is thinking clearly about Betty from earlier, the girl next door daring enough to turn down an offer of friendship from _her_? “Like your little girlfriend Betty.”

  
“I knew it.”

  
The next thing she knows Archie’s hands have dropped off her waist and she gasps softly in surprise but quickly retracts her hands too, just barely not touching each other while their feet stop moving to any beat of the still playing song. So then they’re frozen, in the middle of the dance floor there together.

  
“Why bother doing something so trivial? You have everything you could possibly have to be happy”

  
“To knock you down a peg, if that’s what you want to hear.” She answers promptly.

  
“And are you feeling very proud of yourself for cheating a stupid ballot at a stupid public high school dance, Veronica?” He asks, face inching closer to her with every annunciating word.

  
“Not even close. I have a lot more problems in my life that can’t be solved with playing one little game.”

  
“I hope you bring your game to a higher stake next time, then.”

 

Their faces have gotten so close together now that her nose is almost brushing his chin, and his eyes are dark underneath hooded lashes that stare down at her thoughtfully. The emotions inside her are so washed up but now that she’s standing completely still, it comes with easy clarity that ever since the very first day she hasn’t been able to get Archie Andrews out of her head. And then everybody else does disappear, at least she thinks they do. It’s one of those moments in life that could change everything; one road better and one downhill. She could trust every pull in her head and heart and rise up on her toes to kiss him, as bonkers as it may sound, or she could stand there and glare another second and let the dance end. Archie is lost, he’s calculating all the things he’s ever felt towards any other girl and all the million and one ways one could express their attraction for someone, but it’s never like this. Never like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
(x.x.x.x)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheryl is quick to usher everyone off to the after party at her place. It’s one of the few times their parents allow them to open up the house, and as usual they’ve gone all out. There’s tons of fancy food, proper alcohol this time, and more music and dancing. The mansion is so huge that some of them on the exclusive invite list are wondering around to relax and chill out. Mr and Mrs Blossom are away on business, probably the same thing Veronica and Reggie’s parents are at, so there’s no one around to ruin anyone’s good fun. Veronica and the rest of the clique are at the centre of everything.

  
They still are late in the night when Cheryl raises an empty bottle of champagne and shouts at everyone in the room, “Seven minutes in heaven. Who’s playing gather around now!”

  
“Isn’t that a little too seventh grade, Cheryl?” Archie has his hands in his pockets, words a little bit slurred. “What are we children?”

  
“Come on man” Jason goads for no reason, coming up behind Archie and slinging one arm across his chest holding him in place. “Aren’t you sick of pretending to be an adult? We’re seventeen. It’s the last homecoming at Thornhill.”

  
“I’m in!” Veronica exclaims, raising her glass of champagne in the air.

  
_Of course_. Archie wonders how she still manages to sound cheerful and energetic when she’s probably drunk all the Vodka on the table. “If Josie’s in I’m in” Chuck decides as the couple moves towards the couches quickly. “That’s more like it!” Jason pats Archie’s back with enthusiasm. He can smell the liquor from Jason’s breath and even then it’s no surprise he’s drunk, but it does make sense for his extra cheerful demeanour tonight.

  
There’s only one space left on the couch next to Veronica when he gets there, and frankly it is big enough to fit him but Archie’d rather not put himself in any difficult positions tonight so he gestures for Betty to sit there instead, opting to stand behind her.

  
The crimson haired mystery ran her long arms around all the couch backs as she circled them, dark uncovered layers of herself shown in the intensity of her brown eyes. “Who wants a tryst in the closet of love first? My vote is _A_ for Archie.” Veronica knows immediately it smells like trouble, but boy does she love trouble.. “Anyone care to second it?”

  
“Wait actually-“ Archie, who doesn’t have much credit of being abstinent and is constantly undermined by the rest of them at school tries to intervene his own fate.

  
“For sure. _Yes_ , Andrews!” Veronica tries not to roll her eyes at Moose’s too loud, too annoying voice.

  
“All right” Cheryl snickers. “Gather around kids” Everyone sits up a little bit straighter, anticipating what fate the bottle is bound to bring. “Let’s see who’s riding the ginger stallion tonight.”

  
The music isn’t just playing anymore, Veronica’s convinced that it’s inside her mind with how loud and close the beat feels. She thinks she’ll remember this forever, sitting here with anticipation low in her belly at eighteen years old watching a bottle spin. She’ll remember every single second that the bottle spun, until it landed. Right. On. Her.

  
No, no. Absolutely not. She _cannot_ go in a closet with him- not when she doesn’t trust herself to do something stupid, and when she can still feel the heat in her bones from their last dance earlier. Veronica looks up into Cheryl’s eyes as soon as she hears some obnoxious laughter, and then Reggie’s wondering gaze in her peripheral vision.

  
“Well. It’s clearly pointing to the new girl” Cheryl smirks. _Fuck this bitch,_ Veronica has to kill her later. “This should be fun.”

  
Normally, Veronica would have jumped at the chance to show the sweet small town boy something to remember, but the circumstances and the specific person is pretty off putting.

  
“I’m not doing this” she says flatly. Making it known to everyone. She can feel Betty’s breath release beside her, and she dares not look to her right at either Archie or Reggie right now, it might just cause more trouble or make things awkward.

  
“Oh come on, V” Cheryl whined. “It’s just a stupid game.”

  
The rest of their friends, excluding Betty and Reggie have about the same response as Cheryl does. So she ends up picking up her pride and walking into Cheryl’s appointed closet, ignoring the cat calls and wolf whistles that follow them. The look of slight disbelief on Reggie’s face makes her wonder what the hell he wants? They did ten times worse in New York so what makes now any different? The door closes and the last thing Veronica sees is Cheryl’s satisfied face, locking the door from the outside (proving just what a haunted mansion this is). When she does the light is zapped out and the two of them are left standing there with only Archie’s phone illuminating some space between them.

  
“So..” Archie left off awkwardly, running a hand through his gorgeous red hair. “The only way to make this bearable is to pretend we don’t hate each other for the next seven minutes.” He sighs. “Riverdale’s obviously the last place you want to be, ever. So where do you want to be?”

  
Veronica allows herself to breathe in his scent, whatever cheap cologne he’d used still faint on his skin at the end of the night. The rest of it tainted with alcohol and sweat. In their small, airless space, it’s all she can smell. Just like at the dance earlier. The familiarity of it sends flashbacks into her brain and shivers down her spine.

  
“Well. I won’t be here long anyway. I want to get into Yale and get a business degree, and then I’m going to be the first woman CEO of Lodge Industries. I already have it planned out.”

  
“Wow.” The way she talks its like she’s never been more sure of anything in the world, and Archie likes it. He wishes he could be that ambitious. She knows exactly what she wants and how to get it, making him realise what a kid he is next to her. “So we do have something in common. I’m going go take over my family company too.”

  
“On a much smaller scale” Veronica smiles, it’s so wide and infectious that Archie doesn’t have the power to not smile back. “But what about you?”

  
“I just told you”

  
“Mm it doesn’t take a detective to figure out that isn’t what you want to do, sweetheart.”

  
Archie is shocked. He doesn’t allow himself to show it, but she’s the first one to ever know- just after one sentence- that his heart doesn’t lie where he says it does. It’s making him question everything he thought about her, and wonder what else is there under the angelic face and devious eyes that would surprise him. Maybe everything.

  
“This is less awkward than I thought it’d be. After that dance we shared?”

Archie feels wary and nervous the way Veronica has her eyebrow raised at him, and he realises that the person he was when he danced with Veronica isn’t a side of him he’s very well acquainted with. “Seven minutes without hating each other, right?”

  
“Please” she leans back until the back of her head comes in contact with the door. And Archie had a weird instinct to take one step closer to her. “I have everything I could possibly want to be happy” she grins, using the same words he did earlier.

  
Archie knows that he’s never met somebody like her ever before. Someone so complex, and the kind of person you always have to look out for, second guess her intentions. He could sit there and continue playing the game of two dogs with a bone until the very last day he’ll ever see her again, waving off a plane to New Haven. But the little details about her, like the way she always has perfect make up on every time he sees her, or the slight shimmering effect that’s happening on her skin, probably some body lotion that smells strongly like vanilla, her focus when she studies; it makes him kind of want to swallow the bitter water and accept her. “Look, how about we leave this closet on a more positive note than we came in with?”

  
Veronica doesn’t say anything. It’s no secret that he’s inching closer to her and her crossed arms are like a shield blocking him from coming in a vicinity too close to her.

  
“You and Cooper deserve each other.” Archie looks at her dumbfounded. “She’s such a bitch.”

  
“Hey watch your mouth!”

  
She rolled her eyes. “You know what I think your problem is? Hm? I think.. you _like_ me.”

  
“What?” Archie scoffed, pretending to be dumb.

  
She pushed herself off the door and just like that they were standing chest to chest with each other, eyes focused straight on. “You like me”

  
“I don’t like you” Archie said. He hand snuck behind her back and held the door knob in place.

  
“You’re reading this entire thing wrong. Trust me. If anything, you’ve given me a lot more reasons to _not_ like you.” He isn’t sure when he stooped so low to use denial tactics, honestly.

  
“Oh really?” She said taking another step forward. She has a weird glint in her eyes.

  
“Yes really.” Archie stood his ground. He wouldn’t let Veronica Lodge push him around, or play with him.

  
Veronica eyed him up and down. The way her eyes rake over his body, just that, is making him regret a lot of decisions most recently coming into this closet with her and even thinking that nothing like this would happen.

  
“So you don’t feel even the smallest bit attracted to me?” Her eyes trained over every last inch of him and focused back on his eyes. She’s fearless.

  
“Of course not” Archie lies again. He’s a little afraid. What would she do to him? She’s the one trapped between his muscular body and the door behind her, but it’s him who feels like he’s trapped in her tangled, twisted web of sensation. He couldn’t find any escape if he wanted to.

  
“Are you sure about that?” Her eyes narrowed the smallest bit. Archie hasn’t seen Veronica go after the people she wants, so he doesn’t know that with this look she’s going to win over him very very soon. Whatever she wanted.. she was going to get it and Archie doesn’t feel like denying her anyway. “Not at all?”

  
He shook his head no this time. Not trusting his own mouth anymore. He knows she knows he’s lying, he’s never been a good liar anyway. Archie flinches when he feels Veronica’s hands on the fabric of his untucked shirt.

  
“Oh Archiekins” she hummed in long breaths. Archie couldn’t hide his shiver. This isn’t the petty, childish Veronica from earlier. She brought her game to _higher stakes,_ just like he asked. Her hands slid down and then scooped up to the waistband of his pants. “You are a terrible liar.”

  
She whispered in his ear, hot breath becoming tingles all over his neck. Archie felt like a frozen statue until he feels Veronica slip her hands underneath his shirt and skim over his naked abs. He flinched but he couldn’t move. The back of his hands are itching to touch her anywhere.. his jaw clenched tight.

Her hand dipped into his pants and instantly Archie stopped her because he knew it would be too much, he just knew it. Taking advantage of her lips by his neck he uses his other hand to capture her jaw and turn upwards so he can kiss her, hard and painful with passion that never seems to end between them. She let the tip of her tongue snake out to meet his, before Archie realised she still held the power as she loosens his grip around her and skims over him above his pants.

  
She pulls away and he’s catching his breath, panting shortly. “Damn. You’re better than I thought.”

  
He can see her smiling in the dark room, like she’s seducing him to her side and he’s drunk on just her. Like in that one moment they can just be happy with each other. She never goes all the way, just keeps touching him other places instead of where he wants. Archie thinks this girl might be hiding horns. He scrapes his teeth over the soft skin on her neck and it’s true, she tastes like vanilla. _Fuck_ , he’s losing his mind and she seems to be enjoying herself with his lips on her neck and the arousal growing deep in her belly.

  
She gets everything she wants, that’s apparent, but she acts like it’s nothing. Her cockiness is getting Archie a lot more turned on, only when the timer beeps off as quickly as it does she pushes him off with so much strength it baffles him again. His back contacted with the wall behind him quite painfully, and she collects herself in one fast moment while he’s still watching her with a terrible hard on.

  
As quickly as the click on the door made its noise Veronica was gone, smirking over her shoulder at his loss of control. It doesn’t shock her, but the moment between them did and now she can’t deny it. When it was just them, and their guard fell down, locked away from the world something did almost feel magical.

  
Facing all their friends, it’s like she’s just walked off space- some are impressed and others wear looks of disbelief, but almost everyone is clapping. Veronica still feels like the ground is shaking after what Archie made her feel, for that brief moment, to even acknowledge it. Her mind snaps right when she sees Reggie frowning at her like he’s disappointed, weirdly. She doesn’t realise that Betty isn’t there, but all she needs to do right now is properly gather herself instead of dealing with whatever Reggie will say to her.

  
She takes a turn while they’re still laughing, Archie not yet appearing from the closet, and escapes up the stairs to the Blossom’s massive kitchen for a breather and a drink of water. She grabs a glass and the cool water trickling down her throat is refreshing after the heat and warmth that Archie made her feel, she’s just beginning to think how she fucked up by doing that with him but then she hears a noise and realises she’s not alone in that kitchen.

  
Betty Cooper is there. And her green eyes look like anger. “Betty- Archie’s... downstairs. He’s probably looking for you-“

  
“This is your fault.” Betty says, her voice shaking slightly. “Ever since you got here you can’t stop terrorising me and I don’t know _why_ you hate Archie, Veronica, but it’s obvious that money doesn’t equal class and everyone knows it because you’re the one who asked Dilton to switch the vote” she says sharply.

  
Veronica is confused. “No that’s not true”

  
She tries to deny, but with a sudden sting the hard surface of Betty’s hand is contacting with her face and it shocks her so much she actually doesn’t believe it until it happens. Betty doesn’t say anything, but the little look in her eyes indicate she might’ve regretted it the smallest bit.

  
“ _Oh my god_. You are _seriously_ psycho, blondie.” And then her anger rises after the shock disappear and she knows very well what to do when someone tries to mess with her in any way, having grown up in New York tough as nails. “You are gonna pay for that!”

  
The next thing that happens exists in a blur of Veronica’s mind because one minute she’s got Betty’s right shoulder in a death grip and maybe everything’s falling sideways, and then she hears Archie’s voice shouting at them before everything just goes black.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  _tbc_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to makayla, who asked for double the varchie the last time.  
> Thanks to @andsmile ! Who listened and helped with my plot, and @Tuesdayschildd who is a supportive angel every step of the way. Love you guys

**Author's Note:**

> Remeber, this is just a prologue to introduce the story :) 
> 
> R E V I E W


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